As he approaches the end of his short-term loan at Stamford Bridge, the forward finds himself in limbo, and a permanent transfer is highly unlikely.
Joao Felix’s January loan move to Chelsea was supposed to be a game-changer for both the attacker and the Blues, but with the season drawing to a close, the former prodigy finds himself in limbo. While he has demonstrated his exceptional talent in flashes, Felix – along with the vast majority of the Chelsea squad – has struggled for form and consistency, and is yet to shake the tag of being a ‘luxury player’.
Indeed, he has drifted out of favour since Frank Lampard’s return to the dugout, falling victim to the interim manager’s desperate search for a solution to Chelsea’s goalscoring woes. As a result, a permanent switch to Stamford Bridge now seems highly unlikely – especially given Atletico Madrid are still holding out for their exorbitant €100 million (£87m/$110m) valuation.
However, there is talk of a fresh loan to Chelsea for a player who may well find himself priced out of a move anywhere else in the summer, with Mauricio Pochettino preparing to take the reins at Stamford Bridge. Opinion among the fanbase is seemingly divided on the best course of action, with the Blues’ bloated squad having been problematic throughout a nightmare campaign.
