Barcelona want to make SHOCK transfer happen - Romano

Tom Weber

• Updated: 20 Jul 2023 17:06 BST
• 3 min read

Despite appearing unrealistic at the moment, Barcelona will try to answer Joao Felix's transfer plea, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Portuguese star is desperate to get out of Atletico Madrid. The club's record signing was shipped out on loan to Chelsea for the second half of the previous season and likely didn't expect to return to the Spanish capital.

Yet the Blues decided against making a permanent move for Felix who was committed without ever being truly productive in London. When he returned to Atletico, Diego Simeone publicly claimed that he had no problem with the 23-year-old, but it soon became clear that this wasn't the whole truth.

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Felix ended up being stripped of his number seven shirt - given to Antoine Griezmann - and he has since told transfer guru Fabrizio Romano that it is his dream to sign for Barcelona. The Catalans' economic troubles, however, make any potential transfer impossible right now.

Nevertheless, they will try to strike a deal eventually, claims Romano.

What did Romano say?

Speaking to his 1.83 million YouTube subscribers, the Italian said: "Joao Felix is prepared to wait for Barcelona. At the moment, the financial situation of Barca doesn't allow [them] to close the deal with Atletico Madrid."

"Also, Atletico Madrid are absolutely not happy with [their] squad, it's absolutely normal in these kinds of situations. We respect that, but at the same time, the player wants to wait for Barcelona."

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"Barcelona are working on the outgoings," he continued, "so we need time to see what happens on the Joao Felix story, but for sure this is something concrete in the player's mind..."

"So, let's see what happens in the next weeks - this is not something imminent - but this is something that...Barcelona are prepared to try, some way, to make happen. But again, it really depends on Atletico Madrid - what they will do in terms of the formula of the deal for Joao Felix."