In the coming months and years, we will have to get used to the surprises on the transfer market when Chelsea are involved.
With a management structure full of important figures, the club is often able to move in a few hours and this happened with Joao Felix on Monday.
After a very difficult weekend for the Blues following another defeat against Manchester City, Chelsea have decided to proceed with speed in negotiations for the Portuguese star with Jorge Mendes and Atlético Madrid will surely be one of the winning sides with his strategy in this negotiation.
But the story already started several days ago; because during the last two weeks, Joao's agent, Jorge Mendes, has been several times in London to discuss with Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea about the negotiation possibilities for Felix in the month of January.
João Félix to Chelsea, here we go! Full verbal agreement reached, loan move on €11m fee with 100% salary covered by Chelsea. 🚨🔵 #CFC
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 10, 2023
Before leaving, JF will extend contract with Atléti until 2027.
João will fly to London in the next hours to undergo medical tests and sign. pic.twitter.com/F5aYKMgspa
There has been great interest from everyone, but the obstacle has always been Atletico Madrid's request to free Joao: two paths, a permanent deal exceeding €110m or a loan deal until June with an overall package higher than €15m which includes loan fees, salary covered until June 30 and also deal taxes.
Until now no one had given the green light under these conditions; indeed, Arsenal are focused on Mykhaylo Mudryk as priority target but have discussed Joao Felix with Mendes as long as Atletico change the conditions of the deal.
No way. Manchester United have also shown interest in Joao, the appreciation existed but the choice of the club is a cheap option and not an investment of more than €15m to have the player on loan for 5/6 months.
It is no coincidence that just 4 days ago, Mendes flew to Madrid to speak with Gil, CEO of Atletico Madrid, and try to negotiate different conditions in order to free Joao in January.
There has always been a strong intention on the player's part to leave because he wants to play more, feel like a protagonist and not rotate in Simeone's ideas with whom the relationship is almost broken.
Even Chelsea in the first chats with Mendes had never been convinced to invest those figures for a loan move, also because Mason Mount is in that role for the present and Christopher Nkunku for the future.
But after the continuous injuries of recent weeks which have also been joined by Raheem Sterling and Christian Pulisic, Chelsea have decided to speed up the negotiations for Joao Felix so as to support Graham Potter who is experiencing a more than difficult moment at the helm of the team.
The agreement is really at the final stages; a loan until June 30 for a package exceeding €11m plus full coverage of Joao's salary until the end of the current season.
So Chelsea approached Atletico Madrid's requests and got the green light of the player who dreamed of the Premier League as a priority move, he has never been close to Paris Saint-Germain despite rumours and now awaits the final steps of this deal to fly to London, undergo medical tests and be unveiled as new Chelsea star.
So far, a buy option clause has not been discussed by the two clubs and so the plan of a straight loan could proceed until June; certainly, Felix's priority is to leave Madrid and Chelsea were looking for a new jolt of energy and quality in attack. Ready to arrive from Spain...
*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*
