Joao Felix £8m transfer trigger has Arsenal and Manchester United eyeing try before you buy January deal
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Atletico Madrid are prepared to let Joao Felix join an English Premier League club on loan next month as long as the Financial Fair Play costs of the Portugal international’s contract are covered in full by his new employers.
Felix joined Atletico Madrid for a transfer fee of €126million (currently £110.9m) in the summer of 2019. The amortisation cost on the forward’s seven-year contract amounts to €18m a season with the La Liga club asking for a loan fee of half that sum (£8m) plus the player’s salary to be paid in full. There would be no contractual option to buy.
Arsenal – currently five points clear of Manchester City in the Premier League table – are interested in signing Felix following the loss of Gabriel Jesus to knee surgery. Manchester United are considering Felix as a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo, whose contract was terminated by mutual consent ahead of the World Cup Finals. Discussions with Arsenal are understood to be more advanced at present. Felix, who turned 23 last month, has been unhappy at the Estadio Metropolitano for over a year, struggling with Diego Simeone’s man management and tactical approach. Earlier this month, Atletico chief executive Miguel Angel Gil Marin publicly confirmed the discontent of a player whom the Spanish club persuaded to reject a proposal from Manchester City three years ago.
“The reasonable thing is to think that he is leaving, although I would love him to continue,” said Gil Marin. “But that is not the player’s idea. He is the biggest bet the club has made. I think he has the highest level in the world, but because of his relationship with the coach, the minutes played, his motivation…the reasonable thing to do is to consider his departure if an offer comes in”.
Simeone has defended starting Felix in just 49 Liga fixtures since the club-record transfer, arguing that “it remains clear that every time he was good, he played”. The Argentine coach’s stated position on a January exit is similarly direct. I want Atletico to win, that’s my sole focus,” Simeone said this week. “Then what has to happen will happen. No one is indispensable and things will be as they have to be.
He had a good World Cup, he participated in goals. Hopefully we can have the Joao of the World Cup…I hope we can give him the peace of mind and joy to show what he demonstrated in the World Cup, which was very good.”
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