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Barcelona 'would have to pay £69m to sign Joao Felix next summer'

By Matt Law, Football Editor | 07 October 2023

Barcelona 'would have to pay £69m to sign Felix next summer'

Barcelona would have to pay £69m in order to sign Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix during next summer's transfer window, according to a report.

Barcelona would reportedly have to submit an offer of €80m (£69m) in order to sign Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix during next summer's transfer window.

The Portugal international joined the Catalan giants on loan from Atletico last month, and he has made a strong start to his career at Camp Nou, scoring three goals and registering two assists in seven appearances.

Felix has one goal and one assist in five La Liga outings this term, while he has two goals and one assist in two Champions League appearances.

As it stands, the 23-year-old will head back to Wanda Metropolitano next summer, but his relationship with Atletico head coach Diego Simeone has seemingly broken down.

Barcelona head coach Xavi said towards the end of last month that it was "too early" to discuss the possibility of signing Felix on a permanent basis next summer.

Barcelona's Joao Felix celebrates scoring against Real Betis on September 16, 2023 © Reuters

"It's early to talk about the signing of Joao Felix. Let's see how things go, he's happy, he's helping us, like [Joao] Cancelo. First we have to see how the season goes and hopefully he continues on this path," he told reporters.

However, Barcelona's new director of football Deco has confirmed that the club will consider making Felix's move permanent at the end of the campaign.

According to AS, Atletico are open to selling Portuguese next summer but would want €80m (£69m), which is likely to prove problematic for Barcelona due to their financial issues.

The report claims that the Red and Whites extended Felix's contract until June 2029 earlier this summer with the view to selling him for a large sum in 2024.

Atletico Madrid's Joao Felix pictured on August 15, 2022 © Reuters

Felix completed a big-money move to Atletico from Benfica in the summer of 2019, and he has made 131 appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring 34 goals and registering 18 assists in the process.

At the end of last month, Atletico president Enrique Cerezo said that it would be "good" for his club if the forward impressed on loan last Barcelona.

"He is our player, we must protect him, help him and think that, if he does well, it is good for us," Cerezo told Sport.

"We have always said, I have said, that he is a fantastic player and he is showing it at Barcelona. He didn't adapt with us, he didn't have any luck. And yet, he is a great player at Barcelona, he was a great player here too."

Felix has been named in the Barcelona squad for Sunday's La Liga clash with Granada, but Robert Lewandowski, Frenkie de Jong, Raphinha and Pedri are all missing through injury.