According to Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo, Mauricio Pochettino, the newly appointed Chelsea head coach, does not want forward Joao Felix at the club for the upcoming season.
Felix joined Chelsea on a six-month loan deal during the January transfer window, leading to discussions about the possibility of a permanent contract or another loan move for the Portuguese international.
Reports suggest that Felix has enjoyed his time in London and expressed a desire to continue with Chelsea beyond the expiration of his current contract. However, Pochettino seems to have a different perspective on the matter, as indicated by Atletico Madrid’s president.
“We’ve been informed that Pochettino does not count with Joao Felix for Chelsea,” Cerezo.
“He will return here, we’ll see. We have nothing planned.”
During his loan spell at Chelsea, the 23-year-old made 20 appearances across various competitions. He found the back of the net on four occasions, all of which were scored in the Premier League.
Felix started off his journey at Chelsea impressively, capturing the attention and excitement of Blues supporters with his first-half performance in an away match against Fulham. However, this momentum was halted when he received a red card in the second half for a reckless challenge. As a consequence, he was suspended for the following three games.
In a recent interview, he admitted his love for the team and the club. Felix stated: “I don’t know yet my future but these four or five months, I’ve loved it. It’s a top club, everyone in the club is very good to me, my teammates are unbelievable and I really like to be here.”
Pochettino was confirmed as Blue’s new boss on Monday afternoon, signing a two-year employment contract with the club having an option to extend for a further year.
He will officially begin work on 1st July 2023 due to the contract he had at PSG before he was sacked.
It seems apparent Felix will not return to Chelsea, but the side is closing in on the signing of Christopher Nkunku from RB Leipzig. They will also welcome both Malo Gusto and Levi Colwill back from their respective loan deals as Pochettino’s squad continues to grow.
Talks have also been held over Sporting CP midfielder Manuel Ugarte, who has a release clause of £60m and is also monitored by PSG.
