Atletico Madrid set asking price for Joao Felix as Barcelona talks emerge - Reports
Atletico Madrid have reportedly put an €80 million price tag on Barcelona target Joao Felix.
According to Tribal Football, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) are in contact with the player's agent over a potential move while SL Benfica have also been mentioned as a suitor. Meanwhile, €11 million will be enough to loan him for 12 months.
Barcelona have also been linked with the wantaway forward. According to journalist Ramon Salmurri on Catalunya Radio (BarcaUniversal), Barca are in talks with Atletico Madrid over a loan deal with an option to buy.
Felix joined Atletico from SL Benfica in 2019 for a fee of €127.2 million. He was allowed to join Chelsea on a six-month loan deal in January which did not contain an option to buy.
The Portugal international mustered four goals and no assists in 20 games across competitions for the west London giants. Atletico seemingly consider him expendable and want to recoup a major part of the fee they paid to Benfica for his services.
Felix has four years left on his deal at the Wanda Metropolitano. The highly versatile forward can transition between any position in the frontline and excels playing just behind the No. 9.
Barca currently have Robert Lewandowski as their undisputed first-choice centre-forward while Vitor Roque will join them in the January transfer window.
Atletico Madrid star Joao Felix has already said he wants to play for Barcelona
Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix has confirmed his desire to play for Barcelona ahead of the new season.
In comments given exclusively to Fabrizio Romano earlier this week, the 23-year-old said:
"I’d love to play for Barça. Barcelona has always been my first choice and I’d love to join Barça. It was always my dream since I was a kid. If it happens, it will be a dream come true for me."
According to World Soccer Talk, Felix was made to train with Atletico's youth team earlier this month. The team brass has also seemingly stripped him of the No. 7 jersey, leaving him without an official squad number.
Felix has scored 34 goals and provided 18 assists in 131 games for Los Colchoneros across competitions. But he has never played the full 90 minutes in three consecutive La Liga games in his entire career.
It remains to be seen if any team will be open to meeting the out-of-favor Portuguese forward's aforementioned price tag this summer.