What Joao Felix's Chelsea arrival means for Aubameyang and Havertz

Stuart Telford

• 11 Jan 2023 09:33 GMT
• 4 min read

Chelsea are set to sign Joao Felix on loan from Atletico Madrid until the end of the season. How will his arrival affect the Stamford Bridge futures of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Kai Havertz?

Felix's arrival is certainly an exciting one. This is a player who was once the second-most expensive teenager of all time after Kylian Mbappe; one who had 15 goal-involvements as Atletico won La Liga ahead of Real Madrid and Barcelona in 2021.

There remains a feeling that he has flattered to deceive around those headline-grabbing achievements, however, and he has fallen out of favour under Diego Simeone at the Estadio Metropolitano.

READ: Chelsea to complete Joao Felix signing

Graham Potter will be tasked with squeezing the best out of Felix, though, and the Portuguese, now 23, could provide a welcome injection of attacking verve, with the Blues scoring just 20 Premier League goals this season - the lowest haul in the top half of the table.

For Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who only joined Chelsea from Barcelona in August, it could be curtains.

"Aubameyang is attracting interest from Spain as the imminent arrival of Joao Felix provides an extra obstacle towards the Chelsea striker's chances of regular football," report the Daily Mail.

READ: Chelsea target ANOTHER forward after Datro Fofana transfer

"Atletico are among the teams credited with an interest in Aubameyang in Spain, though any move for would not be linked to the deal for Felix join the Blues."

Aubameyang was signed right at the end of the Thomas Tuchel era, and his reunion with his former Borussia Dortmund coach lasted less than an hour of football before the German was replaced by Potter.

With one goal and no starts for two months, it is time for the former Arsenal captain to seek pastures new.

King Kai dethroned?

For Havertz, the situation is more nuanced. The young German has never really convinced as the answer to Chelsea's No.9 problem - a trained midfielder simply doing a job up there - but he has at least scored four goals under Potter, which is more than any other player.

The potential issue is that his favourite position and Felix's are potentially one and the same: No.10 Havertz and second striker Felix both enjoying their football most when they have a target man for company in the final third.

But Felix can also play on the wing with Havertz up front; the Atletico-owned man could play up front with Havertz tucked in behind, and they could switch on the fly - something eminently possible under a manager who tweaks tactics mid-game.

Felix's arrival likely spells the end for Aubameyang, but he and Havertz could be well worth a watch. Over to you, Graham.