The Atletico Madrid forward could move to Villa Park “later in the window.”
Aston Villa are now “well-placed” to sign Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix, in what could be a “last-minute” deal at a later stage in the transfer window, according to Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor.
Who is Joao Felix joining this summer?
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has recently confirmed that Felix will be leaving Atletico Madrid this summer, claiming that the “player’s priority” is either a move to Barcelona, or to remain in Europe, but he already has another offer on the table.
Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal are also interested, with manager Jorge Jesus personally contacting the Portugal international on a number of occasions to discuss a deal, and a one-year loan deal is potentially in the pipeline.
Back in July, it was reported that interest in the 23-year-old is relatively low, with Benfica hoping it stays that way so they can launch a bid to bring him back late on in the summer window, although they cannot compete with the finances of other potential suitors.
However, in a recent interview with GiveMeSport, Taylor has now detailed that Villa could also make a late swoop in the transfer market, and he indicates they could stand a good chance of winning the race for the forward’s signature, saying:
“He doesn’t really have any top suitors out there anymore as the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea have all moved on and PSG doesn’t really seem to be avenue. The only one that sort of stands out is Barcelona, but again I don’t know what their finances are truly like, so I’m not sure.
“There is going to come a stage where Jorge Mendes is probably going to look to try and get him a last-minute transfer and later in the window is an opportunity for someone to capitalise on, and Aston Villa are well-placed definitely.”
How good is Joao Felix?
There is no doubting that the former Chelsea man is capable of competing at the very highest level, having been lauded as “world class” by journalist Nick Emms during his loan spell at Stamford Bridge last season, but his career has not quite gone to plan.
After bursting onto the scene with Benfica, amassing 24 goal contributions in 26 league games during the 2018-19 campaign, the Viseu-born attacker completed a £113m move to Atletico Madrid, however his performances never justified that price tag.
Atletico Madrid CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin stated the £240k-per-week earner “had trouble adapting” to Diego Simeone’s system, and after falling out with the manager, he was ultimately allowed to leave.
The Benfica academy graduate came into Chelsea at a difficult time, given the Blues’ struggles in the Premier League last season, but he managed to score four goals in 16 top-flight games,
During his time at Stamford Bridge, the Portuguese attacker continued to demonstrate his attacking flair, ranking in the 93rd percentile for successful take-ons per 90, when compared to his positional peers, and the 95th percentile for progressive carries.
Now that he’s had his first taste of Premier League football, Felix could be a solid signing for Villa, and it is exciting news they are well-placed to sign him this summer.
