Chelsea will have the enviable position of having to sort out the future of a number of players this summer who don’t seem to be part of the manager’s long-term plans.
One of those is Joao Felix, who found starts outside of cup competitions very difficult to come by in the six months he spent at the club under Enzo Maresca.
This saw him make a move away from Stamford Bridge in the winter transfer window, allowing him to move to AC Milan for the rest of the season.
Felix starred on his debut for the Serie A side, however since then things have gone downhill for the Portugal international.
Italian media have criticised Felix for his performances since then, with him even being described as a ghost on occasion.
Photo by Claudio Villa/AC Milan via Getty Images
Photo by Claudio Villa/AC Milan via Getty Images
Possible destinations for Joao Felix after nightmare spell at AC Milan
Milan have decided not to sign Felix permanently, leaving the Blues the conundrum of finding a solution for the attacker at the end of the season.
He has already played for a heap of big teams in Europe, including Atletico Madrid and Barcelona, as well as Benfica, where he established himself as a top player.
Fabrizio Romano has stated that the Portuguese side are one of a number of sides who could be a suitor for Felix, with him also mentioning opportunities in Saudi Arabia and Turkey.
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He said: “The final understanding is that AC Milan have no intention to buy Joao Felix on a permanent transfer from Chelsea. Internal decision made, and very, very clear. It was a straight loan from Chelsea, not with an option. Now, the understanding is that Milan are not going to buy Felix.
“So it’s almost over, barring any last-minute surprises, Felix will be back at Chelsea, and they will decide whether to keep the player or try to find a different solution.
“Maybe in Turkey, maybe in Saudi Arabia, maybe some different opportunities in Portugal with Benfica, but for sure Chelsea will explore different solutions.”
Felix is reportedly keen on Galatasaray, however the likelihood of them meeting Chelsea’s demands is seen as slim.
Photo by Chris Lee - Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Photo by Chris Lee – Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Bad to worse for Joao Felix
Felix’s time in Italy was already going badly enough, however his most recent display against Napoli saw things reach a new low.
He was hooked in the second half of their 2-1 defeat, and Felix recorded less dribbles than Mike Penders, the young goalkeeper currently on loan from the Blues in Belgium.
It looks very different to see the Portuguese star spending much longer at Stamford Bridge, with a plethora of attacking talent already set to join the club.
Estevao Willian and Kendry Paez are joining this summer, with the Blues also expected to make the addition of a top striker in the upcoming transfer window.