Journalist Pol Ballus has reported via The Athletic that Joao Felix is not a player Xavi wants in his team, with the reason being the Portuguese’s lack of defensive credibility.
Following his loan tenure with the Premier League Chelsea last season, Felix made himself known that he does not wish to play for Atletico Madrid anymore.
The 23-year-old even went public to express his admiration for Barcelona and ever since, his representative, Jorge Mendes, has been trying to cater a move to Catalonia.
The 23-year-old forward, whose market value stands at €50 million, was heavily booed by Atletico fans in his recent outing despite not playing a single minute, which goes on to show that his relationship with the club is beyond repair.
Xavi not won over by Joao Felix
Now, it is known that Xavi demands a great amount of work rate from his players across all areas of the pitch.
Take for example the case in point of Alejandro Balde. The young defender is heavily involved in the offence, meaning that those playing on the same lines as him need to be on their toes if the defence is vacated.
This is where Felix fails to pass the demands. Ballus writes that although 23-year-old Felix has already offered himself to Barça, the coaching staff is not entirely aligned with his style of play.
Even keeping aside the financial aspect, which is going to play a big role if Barcelona opt for the Portuguese, the forward is not really winning over Xavi and his staff, and his lack of defensive effort happens to be a primary factor.
At the same time, there happens to be a major conflict of interest within the management, with Deco being Felix’s great admirer.
As such, club president Joan Laporta is said to be his admirer but Xavi is not entirely sold, although it could be the case that he might have to give up as Ousmane Dembele has already left and the future Ansu Fati continues to hang in the balance.
It must be noted that Felix has already rejected a few offers from Saudi Arabia and while he dreams of moving to Barcelona, the decision rests with Xavi.
