"He needs that manager who really wants him" - Pundit urges Joao Felix to join rival PL club despite Chelsea links
Former Manchester United striker Terry Gibson reckons Atletico Madrid attacker Joao Felix - who spent a loan at Chelsea - needs to join Aston Villa. The 24-year-old has been been out on loan since January 2023.
After reportedly falling out of favour with Atletico boss Diego Simeone, Felix spend the second half of the 2022-23 season at Chelsea. The Portugal international then spent the entirety of the 2023-24 campaign at Barcelona. He's now back at his parent club but faces an uncertain future despite being contracted with Atletico till 2029.
The attacker has been linked with a return to Chelsea, whose move for Atletico forward Samu Omorodion has collapsed. Gibson reckons Villa boss Unai Emery could get the best out of Felix, telling El Tel and Jon's La Liga Weekly podcast (as per The Hard Tackle):
“I think they might still get £50 million for Joao Felix, because of his age. There is a little bit of star quality there still. He needs a manager that backs him. Unai Emery is keen to get (him). He needs that manager who really wants him.”
As per HITC (via The Hard Tackle), Villa are interested in a £50 million move for Felix and offer him weekly wages of £115,000 as well.
How Joao Felix fared on loan at Chelsea
Atletico Madrid attacker Joao Felix spent a rather underwhelming second half of the 2022-23 campaign at Chelsea. In 20 games across competitions, he scored four times, with all four strikes coming in 16 outings in the Premier League.
The Portugal international also played four times in the UEFA Champions League but didn't register a goal contribution. Last season, with the Blaugrana, he enjoyed a relatively better stint on loan.
In 44 games across competitions for Xavi's side in the 2023-24 season, Felix contributed 10 goals and six assists. Most of those goal contributions - seven goals and three assists - came in 30 outings in La Liga, where Barca's title defence was ended by their arch-rivals Real Madrid.
In nine outings in the UEFA Champions League, Felix contributed three goals and one assist as the Blaugrana lost 6-4 on aggregate in the quarter-final to PSG. Interestingly, Xavi's side had won the first leg 3-2 away and led 1-0 early at home in the second.
However, Ronald Araujo's dismissal meant that the Parisians scored four times without reply as Joao Felix and Co. bowed out of the competition and eventually ended the season trophyless.