Joao Felix seeks Chelsea exit

Duncan Castles

Updated: 30 Jan 2025 17:10 GMT
4 min read

Joao Felix wants to leave Chelsea as he is unhappy with the amount of playing time he has received this season, The Transfers Podcast understands.

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The 25-year-old joined the Blues from Atletico Madrid for an initial €52 million last summer after previously representing the West London club during a loan spell in the 2022/23 season.

However, the move has not worked out thus far with head coach Enzo Maresca preferring other options in attack.

Felix’s issues are particularly acute in the Premier League where he has amassed just over 360 minutes to date this term.

The Portugal international has only made three starts in the league - featuring only 12 times in the top flight - and is without a goal since the matchday two victory over Wolves in August.

Instead, Maresca has mostly restricted the former Benfica forward’s game time to the cup competitions.

He has scored four goals in three UEFA Europa Conference League starts and has also had outings against the likes of Barrow in the EFL Cup and Morecambe in the FA Cup.

Felix to make a quick exit?

Felix has been offered to AC Milan, but the Italians are also considering alternative options.

“Milan's coach Sergio Conceicao would like to sign him,” Duncan Castles tells The Transfers Podcast. “But Milan are unconvinced and looking at other options including Santiago Gimenez of Feyenoord."

Gimenez has scored five goals in his last four Champions League games - a run that includes strikes against Manchester City and Bayern Munich. There also remains the possibility that Felix accepts an offer to join another top European club.

Aston Villa could opt to turn to the Chelsea frontman with considerable transfer doubts over their own striking options.

Jhon Duran is expected to finalise a move to Al-Nassr before the Saudi transfer deadline while Villa are also strongly resisting attempts from Arsenal to sign Ollie Watkins.

"Last summer on The Transfers Podcast, we told you that Unai Emery had long been an admirer of Felix and wanted to bring him to Villa,” Duncan Castles says.

"It may be that we see the Aston Villa strike force turning into one of Watkins and Joao Felix as the alternative centre-forward or Felix playing alongside him for the rest of the season,” Castles says.

Felix has scored seven goals in 20 outings overall this season in all competitions and is under contract at Stamford Bridge until 2030.