Football Transfers reports today that Joao Felix wants to leave Chelsea as he is unhappy with the amount of playing time he has been given this season.
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.
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But the move hasn’t worked out so far under Enzo Maresca who prefers other options in attack. Felix’s problems are particularly visible in the Premier League, where he has amassed just over 360 minutes so far this season.
The Portuguese international has only made three starts in the Premier League and a total of 12 appearances. He is without a goal since the win over Wolves on matchday two in August.
Instead, Maresca has mostly limited the former Benfica striker’s playing time to the cup competitions.
He has scored four goals in three UEFA Europa Conference League starts and has also had games against the likes of Barrow in the EFL Cup and Morecambe in the FA Cup. 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 told The Transfers Podcast. “But Milan are not convinced and are looking at other options, including Santiago Gimenez from 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 is also the possibility of Felix accepting an offer to join another top European club.
Aston Villa could choose to turn to the Chelsea frontman with significant transfer doubts about their own striking options.
Jhon Duran is expected to complete a move to Al-Nassr before the Saudi transfer deadline, while Villa also strongly oppose attempts by Arsenal to sign Ollie Watkins.
“Last summer we told you that Unai Emery had long been an admirer of Felix and wanted to take him to Villa,” says Duncan Castles.
“It could be that we see the Aston Villa attacking force become one of Watkins and Joao Felix as an alternate centre-forward or Felix playing alongside him for the rest of the season,” Castles said.
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Felix has scored seven goals in 20 games in total this season in all competitions and is under contract at Stamford Bridge until 2030.
Aston Villa are actually a possibility now that striker John Duran is about to leave the club to Unai Emery’s displeasure.
