Chelsea have turned down AC Milan’s loan inquiry for attacking midfielder Joao Felix, according to journalist Gianluca Di Marzio.
The Portugal international is one of several players struggling to nail down a starting berth in Enzo Maresca’s squad, but Chelsea aren’t open to loaning him out this month.
Despite Felix’s situation, Maresca is a huge fan of the 25-year-old forward.
The Italian manager has waxed lyrical about Felix on several occasions and insists he’s looking for a way to accommodate him and Cole Palmer in the starting line-up.
Felix has featured 19 times across all competitions for Chelsea this season, returning seven goals and two assists, although he has only started three games in the Premier League.
He isn’t pushing for a move away from Stamford Bridge, and Chelsea’s stance on a loan deal could force Milan to explore other options.
The seven-time European champions considered Felix as an alternative target in case their bid for Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford fell through.
They’re struggling to get a deal for Rashford over the line due to the finances involved.
Chelsea are expected to be busy in the closing stages of the transfer window. They are looking to offload several fringe players and bolster a couple of positions in Maresca’s squad.
Felix isn’t on the chopping block, but Christopher Nkunku has been heavily linked with a move to Bayern Munich this month.
Nkunku has struggled to break into the first team. He has been forced to play second fiddle to Nicolas Jackson as a striker and Cole Palmer in a playmaking role.
He has been largely utilised as a substitute and is keen on a fresh start at Bayern, but a potential deal depends on the position of Chelsea target Mathys Tel.
Tel has reaffirmed his commitment to Bayern, so it is unclear how the transfer saga will play out over the next couple of weeks.
Chelsea are also looking to offload Axel Disasi, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and academy graduate Harvey Vale.
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