Chelsea are having a busy transfer window, as expected. They have already made three signings this summer, with the latest one officially confirmed, and the Blues are showing no signs of slowing down. On the other hand, a number of players are also expected to depart Stamford Bridge in the near future.
Joao Felix is certainly among the players likely to depart the club this summer. The Portuguese international first played for Chelsea during a short loan spell in 2023 and was permanently signed by the club a season later, in 2024.
However, it’s safe to say that he has failed to establish himself at Stamford Bridge. Last season, he joined AC Milan on loan during the winter transfer window in an attempt to find his form, but he struggled to make an impact there as well.
As a result, Felix is believed to be looking for a fresh start at a new club, and a return to his former side, Benfica, appears to be on the cards. The Portuguese club is reportedly open to arranging a homecoming for the player.
Benfica preparing £25 million-plus bid for Chelsea's Joao Felix
An ambitious offer could be on the way. According to A Bola (via The Standard), Benfica are now weighing up a £25.6 million bid for Felix.
Chelsea’s fee for bringing in Felix from Atletico Madrid was around £45 million, and Benfica’s bid is expected to be significantly lower than that. This comes at a time when Christopher Nkunku also looks set to leave for a price lower than what the Blues originally paid to sign him. These developments highlight their recent failures in identifying top talent and their tendency to overpay for players.
Incidentally, these failures have come when signing established names like Nkunku and Felix. This is proof that signing high-profile names is not always the solution.