Diego Simeone has reacted to reports linking João Felix with a move to Chelsea. The Atletico Madrid forward is reportedly attracting interest from the Premier League giants this summer.
According to Metro, the Blues have already agreed personal terms with Felix and are on the verge of agreeing a fee with Atletico for the Portuguese international.
Atletico Madrid themselves are also believed to be interested in Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher and were close to signing the player prior to a move collapsing a few weeks ago.
However, the player could still secure a move to the Wanda Metropolitano if Chelsea succeeds in their attempt to land Felix this time around after backing out of a deal for Samu Omorodion.
As per the Mirror, Chelsea’s latest offer of £39.2 million plus £4.2m in bonuses for Felix could be close to Atletico Madrid’s valuation of the player and a deal could be imminent. Felix, who spent six months with the Blues during the second half of the 2022-23 football campaign, is also believed to be keen on returning to Stamford Bridge this summer.
When asked about the player’s future amid reports linking him with a move to west London, head coach Simeone responded that Felix has so far conducted himself professionally. During a pre-match press conference ahead of their La Liga game against Villarreal, Simeone said (via Metro):
“He is doing very well, as you can see. His behavior is what is expected of any footballer at Atleti… commitment, training in the best way, ready for whatever is proposed to him and competing with teammates. Time will tell if we can use him tomorrow or not.”
Enzo Maresca reacts to reports of Chelsea being linked with João Felix
The Italian tactician refused to comment on whether or not Chelsea would sign Felix this summer amid reports that the Blues are currently in negotiations with Atletico Madrid for the Portuguese international.
Felix emerged as a surprise target for the west London giants after they backed out of a deal to sign his teammate Omorodion last week. When asked about what he knows about his club’s interest in Felix and Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, Maresca said (via Metro):
“The only thing I can say is they are not our players so it’s not correct to talk about a Napoli player or Atletico Madrid player. The club knows exactly what I think in terms of what we need and hopefully, before we finish the transfer window, we can bring in some players.’
It will be interesting to see if the Blues will eventually succeed in their attempt to add Felix to their squad before the end of the summer window.