A report has revealed the incredibly low sum of money Manchester United or Arsenal will need to spend on Joao Felix, despite him costing Atletico Madrid £113million in 2019.
Atleti made Felix the fifth most expensive player of all time by bidding more than his Benfica release clause that summer. The forward arrived in Madrid with high expectations after becoming one of the most exciting teenagers in Europe during his time in the Benfica first team.
However, Felix has struggled to have the desired impact at Atleti. He has only managed 33 goals in 129 appearances for them. This is due to several factors, including fierce competition for places in attack and Atleti’s defensive style of play.
The relationship between Felix and his manager, Diego Simeone, has gone downhill in recent months. Felix has played less than usual and is fed up with spending time on the bench.
As such, he is eager to leave the Rojiblancos during the January transfer window. And a Premier League switch is beckoning for the Portuguese.
Man Utd are looking into a deal for him. They need a new attacker following Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure and Felix is one of the players under consideration. Other options include PSV star Cody Gakpo and Felix’s compatriot Goncalo Ramos, who currently plays for Benfica.
Arsenal, meanwhile, need a new forward to join Mikel Arteta’s squad following Gabriel Jesus’ World Cup injury. He is likely to be out until March after undergoing surgery on a knee issue.
Arsenal have moved themselves ahead of Man Utd and into pole position for Felix. According to a recent report from Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport, Gunners Sporting Director Edu is in contact with the star’s agent, Jorge Mendes.
Atleti happy to sanction Joao Felix loan
There has now been an update on the transfer pursuit from transfer journalist Duncan Castles, writing in the Daily Record. He states Atleti are prepared to let Felix leave for an English team this winter, but only if their demands are met.
And showing their desperation to get him off their books, Atleti will request an incredibly low fee when allowing the 23-year-old to move on.
Castles claims either Man Utd or Arsenal will only have to spend £8m in loan fees when capturing Felix. This is an astonishingly low price given Felix was once billed as one of the best young players in Europe.
The winner of the transfer chase would also have to pay Felix’s salary in full. As per Capology, he is on just over €280,000 a week in Spain, which works out at approximately £248k.
This is clearly a significant wage, but Man Utd and Arsenal both have the finances to pay it.
In addition, the report adds that Felix’s next club would not be given the option to buy. This is an interesting decision from Atleti. It means they could consider taking Felix back to the Wanda Metropolitano if he does well in the Premier League over the next six months.
However, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Atleti did cash in and sell the player, should he impress at either Man Utd or Arsenal. They will be hoping to make back some of the £113m they originally spent on him.
It would be exciting to see Felix play in England. At the World Cup, he showed he still has the ability to influence big matches. He just needs regular game time so he can get his confidence back up.
