Aston Villa emerge as surprise contenders to sign Joao Felix

Stuart Telford

• Updated: 10 Jan 2023 11:07 GMT
• 3 min read

Joao Felix's days at Atletico Madrid look to be numbered. Could the second-most expensive teenager in history end up at Aston Villa?

Felix joined Atletico from Benfica in a €126 million deal as a 19-year-old in the summer of 2019, and he helped los Colchoneros upset Real Madrid and Barcelona to win La Liga two years later with 15 goal-involvements in 31 games that season.

But the Portuguese winger, now 23, has fallen out of favour with Diego Simeone, and Atletico chief executive Miguel Angel Gil Marin said last week that "it's reasonable to think that he might leave."

READ: Joao Felix: Atletico Madrid set their price for Man Utd target

Manchester United and latterly Arsenal have both been linked with a move for Felix, and while his style might suit those Premier League giants - and their status in the game should more closely match his - there is a growing feeling that Villa could be his next destination.

Jorge Mendes key

"Aston Villa is an option that Felix's agent Jorge Mendes is believed to be pushing," reports the Athletic's David Ornstein. "He has a strong relationship with the Villa ownership after doing the deal for Unai Emery to be appointed as manager."

Emery replaced Steven Gerrard as Villa manager in November and duly beat United 3-1 in his first match in charge - the Villans' first home victory over the Red Devils since August 1995 - and he will have the backing of the club in the winter transfer window.

READ: Revealed: Man Utd target wanted by Aston Villa

La Liga trio Franck Kessie (Barcelona and Ivory Coast), Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal and Nigeria) and Yassine Bounou (Sevilla and Morocco) are among those to have been linked with moves to Vila Park during the January transfer window, but securing Felix's signature would be a serious fillip.

Ornstein goes on to report that the Portugal forward could even be available on loan, but Atletico will be keen to recoup some of the €126m they spent on him having run into financial trouble of late.