Arsenal may have to pay £50 million to sign Joao Felix from Atletico Madrid this summer.
The Portugal international spent the recent campaign on loan with Barcelona. He ended the season with ten goals and six assists in 44 outings.
Felix wants to rejoin the Catalan giants permanently, but the Blaugrana can’t afford to sign him due to the Financial Fair Play restrictions placed on them by La Liga.
The attacker has asked his representative to find him a new club before July 27 – the day when he would have to report for pre-season training at Atletico under manager Diego Simeone.
According to Record (page 5), Felix’s former club Benfica want to secure 50 percent of his ownership rights for £17 million, but Atletico have asked for £25m to accept their proposal.
The La Liga club are looking for £50m for a complete sale. Atletico have no plans of considering another temporary move for Felix.
Arsenal should avoid move for Felix this summer
Felix has spent the last 18 months on loan with Chelsea and Barcelona respectively. He was on Arsenal’s radar in January 2023 but signed for the Blues, who paid a significant loan fee.
The 24-year-old started his Chelsea spell in the worst fashion with a red card on debut. He struggled to impress on his return, scoring just four goals in 20 appearances in all competitions.
Despite this, the Portuguese secured a lucrative move to Barcelona last summer. He had a good start to the campaign but lost his starting spot in the back end as he became an impact substitute.
Felix averaged only 48 minutes per appearance. The £243,000 per week star showed glimpses of his quality, but his overall performances on the pitch were not convincing enough to warrant a starting role.
The Benfica graduate would not improve the Gunners’ attack from last season and the club should focus on pursuing a deal for Athletic Bilbao sensation Nico Williams.
Manager Mikel Arteta reportedly has him as a priority if Arsenal pursue a wide player. Williams can be signed for a £46 million release clause, but his wage demands are a possible roadblock.
However, he has proved his credentials and recently scored in the 2024 European Championship final for Spain.
He would provide value for money compared to Felix, who has failed to live up to his early potential.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com.
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