OFFICIAL: Joao Felix joins Barcelona on-loan from Atletico Madrid
Joao Felix is officially a Barcelona player as the Portuguese has completed a loan move from Atletico Madrid. His deal with Barca doesn't include a buy obligation.
The Portuguese has penned a two year extension with Atletico Madrid until 2029 before leaving for the Blaugrana. He has reduced his salary as well, making a loan deal for Barca feasible.
Felix spent the second half of the 2022-23 season away on loan at Chelsea. However, the Blues didn't buy him on a permanent basis and he returned to Atletico Madrid.
The player, though, is at loggerheads with Diego Simeone and doesn't have a future at the Madrid-based outfit. He hasn't played a single minute this season at Los Rojiblancos.
Felix is now officially a Barcelona player, with the club making the announcement through a recently released social media video.
Watch the clip here:
Barca sold Ousmane Dembele to PSG and have loaned out Ansu Fati to Brighton. Hence, they had room for improvement in the attack and Felix served that purpose.
Atleti president Enrique Cerezo previously confirmed that the club were waiting for Barca to make the right move as he said (via O Jogo Portugal):
"Joao Felix is an Atletico player. We are waiting to see how this issue is resolved. He said he wanted to go to a specific team like Barcelona, and we are waiting to see if they decide or not."
Joao Felix previously spoke about dream Barcelona move
Joao Felix's future was up in the air since the player returned to Atleti following the end of his loan spell.
He publicly expressed the desire to play for the Catalan club at the beginning of the transfer window. The Portugal international said (via GOAL):
“I’d love to play for Barca. Barcelona has always been my first choice, and I’d love to join Barca. It was always my dream since I was a kid. If it happens, it will be a dream come true for me."
Since his days as a Benfican youngster, Joao Felix has been considered a prodigious talent. His talent, however, hasn't flourished as one would have hoped it to.
That said, at a club like Barca and under the tutelage of a manager like Xavi, Felix could rejuvenate his career and become the world-wide beater the fans have always expected him to be. How his career as a Culer unfolds remains to be seen.