Chelsea have been very busy getting deals done in recent weeks. While talks are believed to be advancing for both Xavi Simons and Jorrel Hato, most of the Blues' recent work has been about finding their current players, without a future at Stamford Bridge, new homes. And one has to admit, they have been pretty successful.
Joao Felix is one of the players who has failed to meet expectations at Chelsea. It seems as if the Portuguese player can’t catch a break.
After failing to perform according to his true potential at Atletico Madrid, the player was sent on loan to Barcelona in the 2023-24 season, but things didn’t improve. Then came Chelsea, who decided to bring Felix in last summer, but ended up sending the player on loan to AC Milan soon after. Now, a permanent exit awaits.
Earlier, it was reported that Benfica had appeared as the most probable destination for Felix and that talks were advanced. But it looks like things have changed since then in a major U-turn.
'Here we go' - Fabrizio Romano confirms Chelsea deal after U-turn
As reported by Fabrizio Romano, Al Nassr have agreed a deal to sign Felix from Chelsea. It has been given the famous 'here we go'. The initial transfer fee is worth €30m plus add-ons and a heavy sell-on clause to meet the Blues' €50m valuation in the future.
Felix will join his international teammate Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr. Chelsea will be delighted, as they will be able to recover much of the €52 million paid to Atletico Madrid to sign the 25-year-old, which wouldn’t have been the case with a deal involving Benfica.
Chelsea will deem themselves lucky to have escaped without losing significant money, given the form Felix has been in lately. But the club will need to be more careful next time before impulsively proceeding with any other signings in the future.