Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Diego Simeone, Joao Felix, Football
Matthew Holt
Topics: Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Diego Simeone, Joao Felix, Football
Joao Felix's time at Atletico Madrid could soon be over five years after his stunning £114 million transfer from Benfica.
Felix arrived at the Spanish giants in 2019, becoming the fourth-most expensive player in history at the time.
But the 24-year-old has failed to live up to expectations, and has been sent out on loan to Chelsea and Barcelona after failing to settle at the Metropolitano Stadium.
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After managing just 34 goals for Atleti in five years, Felix's future is up in the air and he could soon secure a summer move away from the club.
According to Spanish outlet Sport, Benfica have reportedly opened talks regarding a potential move for the Portugal international.
His former club have offered a fee said to be in the region of £12.7m for the forward.
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Benfica would acquire 50 per cent of the player's rights as part of the agreement, which means Atletico would be entitled to half of the proceeds in the event that they sell him on once more.
After joining from Benfica in 2019, hopes were high that Felix would become one of the greatest players in world football.
But since then, his relationship with Diego Simeone has become strained and thus the Portuguese star has endured multiple loan moves away from the club.
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Barcelona have been extremely vocal about their desire to keep hold of Felix, but financial restraints mean a deal for the forward may not be easy.
"We want them [Felix and Cancelo] to continue," club chief Joan Laporta said on the President's Podcast on Barca One.
"Deco is working to ensure that they continue another season in the current conditions.
"[Hansi] Flick considers that they are high-quality players and when he coached Bayern he already tried to incorporate Joao Felix.
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"I think that Felix could have performed better because he has extraordinary quality."
Atletico CEO Gil Marin has time and time again tried to patch up the relationship between Felix and Simeone, but to no avail so far.
"He has had trouble adapting," Marin said when posed the question back in 2022.
"It is down to Simeone to find his right version. If a good offer arrives, we have to consider it.
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"The relationship between the manager and the player is not the best. I want him to stay but the player thinks differently."