Joao Felix, valued at around €75-80 million by Atletico Madrid, is ready to reject other suitors to complete a permanent move to Barcelona.
According to a report by Spanish outlet SPORT, Joao Felix is determined to complete a permanent move to Barcelona. The 23-year-old is ready to turn down approaches from other suitors to seal the deal next year. But with Atletico Madrid demanding around €75-80 million to part ways with the player, an agreement might not be straightforward.
Joao Felix has not hit the heights his talent and potential promised when he broke out at Benfica. The Portuguese international had the world at his feet as a teenage sensation in his homeland. But choosing to join Atletico Madrid proved detrimental to his growth, with Diego Simeone’s system failing to bring the best out of him.
The 23-year-old barely made any progress at the Madrilenian club, struggling to stamp his authority. A loan spell at Chelsea did not work out either, and he returned to Atletico Madrid this past summer. However, a run-in with Simeone spelt the end of his time as a regular for Los Rojiblancos.
The Colchoneros were keen on offloading Felix in the summer transfer window. But Premier League clubs like Manchester United decided against signing him. Meanwhile, the Portuguese attacker had his heart set on joining Barcelona, his dream team. And the Blaugrana showed concrete interest in him this past summer.
Completing a permanent deal was out of the question, considering Barcelona’s never-ending financial issues. But negotiations over a loan agreement dragged on for a long time before the two parties reached a consensus on Deadline Day. The player has hit the ground running at the Catalan club, managing three goals and three assists in eight outings.
Meanwhile, Barcelona will prefer to complete a permanent deal for Felix in the summer transfer window. In addition, the 23-year-old is ready to snub other suitors to seal a permanent transfer next year. But Atletico Madrid’s asking price of €75-80 million creates problems for Barcelona.
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The reigning La Liga champions are in no position to afford to pay €75-80 million to secure Felix’s services on a permanent transfer. So, it will be interesting to see if Atletico Madrid will reduce the asking price or demand another solution to sell the player.
