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Chelsea have agreed a deal with Atletico Madrid over the signing of Joao Felix.
Felix fell some way short of expectations during a six-month loan spell at Stamford Bridge in 2022/23 but Chelsea have reignited their interest in the 24-year-old and appear on the verge of wrapping up his return.
The Blues had already agreed personal terms with Felix’s camp over a proposed switch to west London and have been locked in talks with Atleti to ensure the Portuguese’s transfer can be finalised before the deadline.
According to The Athletic, Atletico Madrid are now satisfied with Chelsea’s proposal, with Felix expected to join the Premier League giants for a fee in the region of £36million.
Felix’s Atleti team-mate Samu Omorodion had also appeared on the verge of joining Chelsea, only for the deal to collapse last week.
The two clubs remain in discussions over a potential move for Conor Gallagher, with the England midfielder currently in limbo and forced to train alone ahead of Chelsea’s defeat to Manchester City.
It had initially been reported that Atletico were demanding up to £51m for Felix but these rumours were shut down in the Spanish media and the ex-Benfica star is expected to be unveiled by Chelsea over the coming days.
Felix has been named in Atletico Madrid’s squad to face Villarreal this evening but the latest reports put the Portugal international’s involvement in serious doubt.
Asked for an update on Felix’s situation at his pre-match press conference on Sunday, Diego Simeone refused to rule out the possibility that the attacker could feature at El Madrigal.
‘He is doing very well, as you can see,’ the Atletico Madrid manager told reporters.
‘His behaviour is what is expected of any footballer at Atleti… commitment, training in the best way, ready for whatever is proposed to him and competing with team-mates. Time will tell if we can use him tomorrow or not.’
Felix, who is tied into a contract at Metropolitano Stadium until 2029, has remained tight-lipped on his future amid the transfer speculation and was pictured in training with his Atleti team-mates today.
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca also refused to be drawn on the rumours surrounding Felix at a press conference on Friday.
‘The only I can say is they are not our players so it’s not correct to talk about a Napoli player or Atletico Madrid player,’ Maresca said.
‘The club knows exactly what I think in terms of what we need and hopefully before we finish the transfer window, we can bring in some players.’
Chelsea’s pursuit in Felix has taken many supporters by surprise considering the Atleti attacking midfielder struggled to make a significant impact in his previous stay at Stamford Bridge.
Across 20 appearances, Felix scored four goals and failed to register a single assist in any competition.
Felix spent last season on loan at Barcelona, racking up ten goals and four assists for the La Liga club.
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