Xavi 'plans talks' with Joao Felix after unimpressive Barca training

Stuart Telford

• 8 Sept 2023 17:28 BST
• 3 min read

Joao Felix still has a long way to go to impress Barcelona manager Xavi, according to reports in Spain.

Felix joined Barca from Atletico Madrid on transfer deadline day, having previously told transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano that it was "his dream" to join them, and the club worked hard behind the scenes to make the deal happen.

Barcelona are still wrestling with the £1.35 billion debt that saw them lose club legend Lionel Messi on a free transfer to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021.

READ: Joao Felix gave up a FORTUNE to sign for Barcelona

Felix signed a new contract with Atleti, on reduced wages, valid until 2029, with Barca taking him on loan with no obligation to buy, but the promise to cover 100 per cent of those reduced terms.

He made his debut last Sunday, alongside fellow new arrival Joao Cancelo - who joined on loan from Manchester City - getting the final 10 minutes of the 2-1 win at Osasuna.

A luxury player?

It remains unclear what Felix's best position is, whether he should play as a false winger like Gavi normally does, or tucked inside behind Robert Lewandowski, but Xavi wants him to redouble his efforts in training either way.

READ: Barcelona's 10 most expensive transfers of all time

"The first thing [Xavi] plans to do is have an in-depth talk with the player, to whom he will explain that at no time did he oppose his arrival," reports Sport's Ivan San Antonio.

"It is not true that Xavi did not love Joao Felix, whom he considers a differential footballer..."

Barca had been linked with each of Messi, Neymar and Bernardo Silva before moving for Felix, and while Barca were the Portuguese's first choice, it is not clear that the same was true vice versa.

Felix was the second most expensive teenager of all time when he joined Atleti from Benfica for €126 million in 2019, and is now valued at €45.3m by FootballTransfers' in-house algorithm.