Chelsea make Joao Felix transfer decision as Man Utd plot summer bid

Tom Weber

• Updated: 17 Apr 2023 14:41 BST
• 3 min read

Chelsea want to make Joao Felix's loan move permanent, but Manchester United are also interested in the former wonderkid.

After falling out of favour at Atletico Madrid, Joao Felix made the move to Stamford Bridge in January. While it's been a mixed bag of sorts given the financial package of upwards of €11 million attached to the deal and the fact that the 23-year-old has failed to regularly contribute with goals, he has shown glimpses of his immense potential.

Indeed, he seems to have convinced many at Chelsea that there still is an excellent player in there despite him having failed to live up to the ridiculous €126m fee that Atleti paid in 2019. The Blues are said to be keen on making Felix's move permanent, but his Spanish parent club are not prepared to make a huge loss on their enormous investment.

READ: €100m for Joao Felix! Why Chelsea MUST look elsewhere

Therefore, they are believed to have slapped a price tag of at least €100m on the attacker who is still under contract in Madrid until 2027. Understandably, Chelsea are not prepared (and likely wouldn't be allowed) to part with that much after their lavish spending in excess of €600m this term. Instead, they may try to extend his loan until the summer of 2024 - but their unwillingness to spend big has opened the door for another club.

United enter the fray

According to the Metro, Manchester United are considering swooping in to make a move for the Atletico man. Erik ten Hag is apparently a fan of the Portuguese and could look to bring him in to bolster his squad, although even Manchester United may be reluctant of matching the Spanish sides' asking price.

READ: Osimhen delivers big blow to Man Utd and Chelsea

It is believed that Atletico are not averse to sending him out on loan again as more good performances from him would certainly increase his value and make the fee they are asking for more palatable and justified.