Atlético Madrid’s talented player, João Felix, has caused discontent among the club hierarchy by openly expressing his desire to join LaLiga rivals Barcelona.
“I’d love to play for Barça,” said Felix, who has failed to live up to expectations since his club-record move from Benfica in 2019. “Barcelona has always been my first choice and I’d love to join Barça. It was always my dream since I was a kid. If it happens, it will be a dream come true for me.”
Atlético reportedly only learned of Felix’s incendiary comments when the remarks from an interview with journalist Fabrizio Romano were made public.
The club has been tight-lipped on Felix’s future but AS sources suggest that Atlético are unwilling to let the player leave without a considerable transfer fee.
“The player’s agent knows perfectly well the conditions that must be met for João to be able to leavethe club. Beyond this, we have nothing to say on the matter,” sources within the club told AS.
Regardless of Felix’s dreams, the reality is that there appears to be little interest in him from other top clubs. He has struggled for consistency in the Spanish capital and fell out of favour with head coach Diego Simeone after a poor start to the 2022/23 season.
Felix was shipped out on loan to Premier League side Chelsea but failed to make any meaningful impression. Meanwhile, his exit coincided with a real upturn in performances for Atlético.
The forward’s transfer to Atlético Madrid was always viewed as something as a curiosity, given that Felix’s languid style is a stark contrast to the all-action ethos preferred by Simeone. There had been reports that Felix’s mid-season exit was caused by a falling-out between himself and the Atléti coach, something that Simeone has disputed.
“I don’t clash with him,” Simeone said. “I’m clear with him and I tell him what I feel. He knows what my coaching profile is and he knows that I like to train with a lot of happiness.”
However for a club like Atlético it is not sustainable to keep such a high value asset on the bench for a prolonged period. They just need to find someone willing to pay the estimated €100 million transfer fee for his services.