Chelsea in advanced talks to sell Joao Felix just one year after £45m transfer

Joao Felix is set to leave Chelsea on a permanent transfer (Picture: Getty)

Chelsea are in advanced talks to sell Joao Felix less than a year after he joined the club in a deal worth £45m, according to reports.

The Blues signed Felix from Atletico Madrid last August and sent England midfielder Conor Gallagher in the opposite direction for £33m.

Felix showed glimpses of his immense potential during a loan spell at Stamford Bridge in 2023 and Chelsea believed he could develop into a Premier League star, handing him a seven-year contract.

But the Portugal forward struggled for game-time under new manager Enzo Maresca – starting just three Premier League games before being sent on loan to AC Milan in January.

Milan had no obligation to sign Felix on a permanent transfer at the end of the season but were initially open to doing so, providing the 25-year-old hit the ground running in Serie A.

Indeed, AC Milan chief Zlatan Ibrahimovic declared ‘everything possible’ when asked about the potential for Felix to remain at the club back in February.

But Felix instead endured a miserable time in Italy, failing to win over manager Sergio Conceicao and attracting criticism from local fans and media.

Felix struggled during his loan spell at AC Milan (Picture: Getty)

AC Milan decided earlier in the season they would not be signing Felix permanently but a summer move still looks likely given Maresca’s reservations over the player and the abundance of talent at Stamford Bridge.

Portuguese outlet Record say Benfica are in advanced talks with Chelsea over a deal after the club’s manager Bruno Lage sanctioned the move.

Benfica president Rui Costa is also keen for Felix to return to the club where he came through the ranks and first established himself as a potential superstar.

It is claimed a deal could even be completed in time for Felix to feature for Benfica at the upcoming Club World Cup, which starts on June 15.

Felix scored 20 goals in his first and only season in Benfica’s first-team before being signed by Atletico Madrid for £113m in 2019, making him the fourth-most expensive player in history.

But Felix largely flattered to deceive at Atletico before similarly disappointing spells at Chelsea, Barcelona and AC Milan.

The player is believed to be open to a return to his boyhood club, who finished second in the Portuguese top-flight last season, two points behind champions Sporting Lisbon.

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