Chelsea AGREE Joao Felix transfer

Cameron Smith

3 Feb 2025 09:23 CST
3 min read

AC Milan have reached an agreement to sign Chelsea forward Joao Felix on loan for the remainder of the season.

The Portugal international has been heavily linked with a Deadline Day move and Milan have now reached a full agreement to bring him to the club.

Article continues under the video

Felix has scored seven goals in 20 appearances across all competitions so far this campaign, but he has only made three Premier League starts in 2024-25 and Enzo Maresca is willing to let him leave the club on loan.

TRANSFER DEADLINE DAY LIVE! All the latest transfers, rumours and gossip

Milan have been linked with the 25-year-old for several weeks and they have reached an agreement to sign Felix on loan, as first revealed by Gianluca Di Marzio and confirmed by both David Ornstein and Fabrizio Romano.

Aston Villa were also interested in finalising a deal for Felix, although Chelsea were reluctant to conduct business with Unai Emery’s side and Milan have now won the race for his signature.

Why is Joao Felix expected to leave Chelsea?

Chelsea only signed Felix in order to ensure Conor Gallagher joined Atletico Madrid, and Maresca has all but admitted that the Portugal international doesn’t have a long-term place at Stamford Bridge.

The 25-year-old is best when deployed in an attacking midfield role, but Cole Palmer, arguably Chelsea’s most important player, has made that position his own over the last nine months.

In early January, Maresca confirmed why Felix has barely featured since his arrival from Atletico Madrid. “The only thing I've said since the start is it's difficult to play games with so many attacking players,” the Chelsea boss told reporters.

“If Joao plays it means that Cole doesn't play, or if Joao plays he has to play with Cole together but it depends on the game.

“For me it's quite easy, we have three players that are more or less similar, Joao and Cole and Christo.”

Maresca continued: “Joao has played some games, Christo has played, they both played against Ipswich, they both played Southampton and Leicester. In some games we can play with them all together but not every game.”