“Aston Villa Eyes Joao Felix: Potential Transfer Moves and Competition”
Aston Villa have reportedly emerged as a contender to sign Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix.
The Portuguese international has been with Atletico since 2019, after a £113m transfer from Benfica. Despite scoring 34 goals and providing 18 assists in 131 appearances across all competitions, Atletico has struggled to justify the investment in Felix.
Over the past 18 months, Felix has been loaned to Chelsea and Barcelona, contributing 10 goals and six assists in 44 appearances for the latter. Ideally, Barcelona would like to secure another season-long loan for Felix, but financial constraints make this unlikely.
Consequently, Atletico and Felix must explore other options for the 2024-25 season. According to SPORT, three clubs are interested in signing Felix, including Premier League side Aston Villa. The report suggests that Villa may have the financial capability to negotiate a permanent deal, with Felix’s asking price around £20m.
Felix’s only experience in English football was a stint with Chelsea in the 2022-23 season, where he scored four goals in 20 appearances for a struggling team. Despite concerns about their compliance with the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability regulations, Villa has already signed five new players: Ian Maatsen, Samuel Iling-Junior, Enzo Barrenechea, Ross Barkley, and Lewis Dobbin.
However, it is believe that Villa’s manager, Unai Emery admires Felix and would welcome the opportunity to work with him, as his versatility would be a significant asset to the team.
While Barcelona remains a potential destination, Benfica might be better positioned for a reunion with Felix. The Portuguese club has reportedly made a £12.5m bid for the player, though this offer is expected to be rejected. Nevertheless, an improved bid could be forthcoming, with Felix potentially seeing a return to his former club as an ideal move to revive his career.