Transfer Centre

Chelsea 'verbally agree Joao Felix loan deal'

By Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter | 09 January 2023

Chelsea reportedly reach a verbal agreement to sign Joao Felix on loan from Atletico Madrid, who will receive a fee of €11m (£9.7m).

Chelsea have reportedly reached a verbal agreement to sign Atletico Madrid attacker Joao Felix on loan.

The Portugal international has endured a fractious relationship with manager Diego Simeone and has struggled for regular starts in the Rojiblancos' attack this term.

Despite his domestic struggles, Felix caught the eye at the World Cup with one goal and two assists in four games for Portugal, who were eliminated by Morocco in the quarter-finals.

The 23-year-old's contract with Atletico does not expire until the end of the 2025-26 season, but he has been expected to seek pastures new during the January transfer window.

Arsenal and Manchester United were also understood to have been interested in Felix, but Atletico's financial demands for a short-term loan were initially considered too steep.

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

However, The Athletic now reports that Chelsea have verbally agreed a deal to sign Felix on loan this month, and the Blues will pay €11m (£9.7m) for his services - a lower fee than what Atletico were initially holding out for.

The report adds that nothing official has been signed yet, but Felix took a liking to Chelsea's sporting project and thus snubbed interest from Arsenal and Man United to join Graham Potter's team.

Felix has amassed five goals and three assists from 20 games for Atletico in the 2022-23 season, but he has only started seven matches in La Liga and a further three in the Champions League.

The former Benfica starlet, who cost the Madrid giants £112m to sign from Benfica in 2019, boasts 34 goals and 18 assists in 131 matches for Atletico in total, winning one La Liga title in the 2020-21 campaign.

Felix was named in the first XI for Atletico's La Liga showdown with Barcelona on Sunday, but he was substituted after 73 minutes as the Rojiblancos succumbed to a 1-0 defeat.

Joao Felix in action for Atletico Madrid on August 21, 2022 © Reuters

The Portuguese attacker is set to become the Blues' fourth signing of a busy January window, following David Datro Fofana, Andrey Santos and Benoit Badiashile to the club.

As well as reinforcing his attack, Potter is also keen to bring in a new big-money midfielder amid persistent links with a swoop for Benfica and Argentina star Enzo Fernandez.

However, Eagles manager Roger Schmidt has now ruled out the prospect of Fernandez leaving the club in January, despite claims that Chelsea had agreed personal terms with the 21-year-old.

Brighton & Hove Albion duo Alexis Mac Allister and Moises Caicedo have been mentioned as potential alternatives to Fernandez for Chelsea, who are also said to be admirers of Southampton's Romeo Lavia.

The under-fire Potter will endeavour to avoid a third-straight defeat in all tournaments when Chelsea battle Fulham in Thursday's Premier League West London derby.