Atletico Madrid are looking to sell their outcast Joao Felix to Aston Villa, but the Portuguese international prefers a move to Barcelona.
According to a report from SPORT, Atletico Madrid want to get Joao Felix off their books as soon as possible. They are ready to sell him to Aston Villa but the player wants to join Barcelona and is willing to wait for them to make a move.
Felix might still have five years left on his deal with the Madrid-based club but he surely doesn’t have a future there. The Portuguese international is not on good terms with manager Diego Simeone. The Argentine doesn’t want him around his squad. They are pushing to sanction his departure but the player is making things difficult for them.
Barcelona retain interest in Joao Felix
The 24-year-old attacker has been out on loan for the last 18 months. He had a short spell at Chelsea before joining Barcelona for the 2023/24 season. Felix had an impressive loan spell at the Catalan club as he finished with 10 goals and six assists in his 44 outings.
His loan move ended with the promise that the Spanish giants would do everything in their power to bring him back to the club. But, with time they have shifted their attention towards other targets. The Catalan giants are working on deals to sign the likes of Nico Williams and Dani Olmo.
But, their financial situation is not making things easy and if they miss out on their top targets, Barcelona could once again look at Felix. They have maintained contacts with the player as both Deco and Hansi Flick feel he could be a important player going forward.
Atletico want to sell Felix to Aston Villa
The Catalan giants are playing the waiting game and they are unlikely to make a move until the very end. Meanwhile, Atletico are frustrated by the situation and they are pushing to sell the Portuguese international to Aston Villa.
Unai Emery’s team are looking to further bolster their attack as they gear up for Champions League football. They want a star forward who can help them take the next step and they feel Felix can do the job for them. Villa are trying to sign him on an initial loan deal with an obligation to buy.
While Atletico are ready to sell him, the player is not fazed by the opportunity. He is willing to wait for Barcelona’s return and is convinced that time is not on his side.
The Spanish giants haven’t made any progress, but they know that a loan deal is still a possibility as Atletico would love to exchange loans and players like Íñigo Martínez, Ferrán Torres or Vitor Roque could be of interest. But for that to happen, Barcelona need to make a move which hasn’t happened yet.
