- Chelsea agrees to sign Joao Felix from Atletico Madrid for £40 million, potentially facilitating Conor Gallagher’s transfer to the Spanish club
- Felix, who previously played for Chelsea on loan, is expected to receive a six-year contract as part of the deal
Chelsea have reached an agreement with Atletico Madrid to sign forward Joao Felix in a deal that could also involve Blues midfielder Conor Gallagher moving to the Spanish club.
The Premier League side reportedly agreed on a £40 million ($51 million) fee with Atletico to bring the 24-year-old Felix back to Stamford Bridge. Felix had a six-month loan spell at Chelsea during the second half of the 2022-23 season, during which time he scored four goals in 20 appearances.
The Portuguese international spent last season on loan with Barcelona and is believed to have been offered a six-year contract by Chelsea.
Felix’s signing might facilitate Gallagher’s move to Atletico after the midfielder’s transfer was stalled last week. Chelsea and Atletico could not finalize a deal for Madrid striker Samu Omorodion, which was necessary to fund Gallagher’s £33 million transfer. Since then, Gallagher has been training alone after returning to Chelsea after being seen in Spain.
Additionally, Chelsea have reportedly received an offer from Napoli for Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku, who spent last season on loan at Roma.
In another development, Raheem Sterling’s future at Chelsea seems uncertain after new head coach Enzo Maresca hinted at a review of the former England winger’s situation. Sterling was omitted from Chelsea’s squad in their 2-0 loss to Manchester City, and his representatives issued a statement questioning the decision.