Barcelona can only sign Joao Felix if 20-year-old star leaves the club - Reports
According to reports, Barcelona will only be able to make a move for Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix if they manage to sell Ansu Fati during the ongoing transfer window.
Ever since the Atletico Madrid forward expressed his desire to play for the Catalan giants, Joao Felix has attracted a lot of scrutiny from the Colchoneros fanbase. They made their intentions known in Atletico's opening fixture against Granada, directing hostile chants directed towards the 23-year-old forward prior to kick-off.
Nevertheless, Barcelona continue to prioritise the signing of Joao Cancelo, with journalist Fabrizio Romano suggesting that the Portuguese defender is very close to signing with the reigning La Liga champions.
Spanish outlet Diario SPORT have suggested that Barcelona will only be able to make a move for the Atletico Madrid forward if La Masia graduate Ansu Fati leaves this summer. The Blaugrana have been looking for a suitor for the Spaniard since the start of the transfer window, but a transfer hasn't yet materialized.
Fellow attacking prospect Abde Ezzalzouli was another player who was touted with a transfer away from Barca, with Aston Villa and Bayer Leverkusen emerging as potential suitors. However, in light of Ousmane Dembele's unexpected departure to PSG, Xavi now reportedly expects the Moroccan prodigy to stay at the club.
This leaves Ansu Fati as the only dispensable option for the Catalans, considering their current attacking depth. With only one week left in the current transfer window, it'll be interesting to see if Joao Felix can secure a move to his "dream club."
Teammate Antoine Griezmann recently spoke in support of Joao Felix amidst Barcelona rumours
Having experienced a similar situation in 2019, Antoine Griezmann was able to sympathize with Joao Felix. In a Zoom call facilitated by La Liga, the 32-year-old Frenchman stated (source: The Athletic):
"I experienced his situation because I did something that damaged the club."
"The best thing I could do was keep quiet, work hard, the same as every other player, to get back into the boss’ plans. It cannot be easy for him, I hope it gets sorted out. That would be the best for the club, for Joao, for everyone."
Griezmann secured his long-awaited transfer to Barcelona in 2019, understandably upsetting his fans at the Wanda Metropolitano. After two underwhelming seasons with the Blaugrana, the 2018 World Cup winner returned to the red half of Madrid and has since won over the fans with his sublime performances.