PSG are reportedly ready to go head-to-head with Manchester United in the race to sign 22-year-old Portuguese international Joao Felix from Atletico Madrid in the upcoming transfer window.
According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, Manchester United are reportedly locked in a battle with French heavyweights PSG in the race to sign Atletico Madrid’s wantaway star Joao Felix.
Felix joined the Spanish giants on a seven-year deal in 2019 from Benfica for a club-record fee of €126 million. However, since moving to the Wanda Metropolitano, he has never scored more than ten goals in a La Liga season. Felix netted just eight goals and registered four assists in the league last season. Furthermore, Felix only scored once in eight Champions League outings.
The 22-year-old has endured a torrid start to the 2022/23 campaign, where he is yet to score a goal in all competitions. Atletico Madrid supporters are probably sick of hearing about Diego Simeone’s tense relationship with Felix, but the two have fallen out yet again.
Simeone selected Felix from the start for the first five matches in a row this season. The Portuguese international got off to an excellent start with a hat-trick of assists against Getafe on opening day. But in the eleven games since, he has yet to directly contribute to a goal.
For the last two matches, Felix has featured from the bench, with the narrative building that the 22-year-old is unsatisfied with his lack of minutes and could leave in the upcoming winter transfer window to revive his faltering career.
The versatile forward is capable of playing anywhere across the attacking line and may need a change of scenery to rediscover his best form. It has been claimed that the 22-year-old Portuguese forward has no shortage of suitors, with PSG and Manchester among the several elite clubs interested in signing him.
The Parisians, for one, have already contacted the attacker’s entourage to try to sign him once the World Cup in Qatar is over. With Kylian Mbappe’s future looking increasingly uncertain after his latest show of discontent, Christophe Galtier’s side will need a major name to fill the void sooner rather than later.
Manchester United, meanwhile, have emerged as another serious contender but are likely to steer clear of a potential bidding war for Felix, having already spent a fortune in the summer.
However, with Cristiano Ronaldo making it no secret that he wants to leave Old Trafford following his recent outburst, Felix could be deemed as a perfect long-term replacement. Felix is still just 22 years old, but his talent has never been in doubt. One can also see him excelling in a less pragmatic, free-flowing system under the former Ajax boss.
Aside from PSG and Manchester United, Barcelona and Bayern Munich are also cited as having an interest in Felix, according to other reports.
The transfer is thought to be complicated. However, Atletico are not keen on rushing a Felix sale and will not sell him in January. There is an understanding that the relationship between Felix and Simeone is not beyond recovery, and the attacker could yet force his way back into Simeone’s plans going forward.
