15 April 2023 , 13:49
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Manchester United will seemingly have to break their own transfer record if they are to pursue a move for Joao Felix this summer.
Having fallen out of favour with Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid, the Portuguese forward arrived at Chelsea on loan in January, with Blues fans hoping he would help revive their season. But his spell got off to an inauspicious start, sent off in a debut defeat at Fulham.
The 23-year-old has since shown fleeting moments of brilliance, serving as a reminder as to why Atletico forked out £113 million for him ahead of the 2019/20 campaign. But with just two goals in 13 appearances in all competitions, both he and the side have found consistency hard to come by, 11th in the Premier League table following the sacking of Graham Potter.
But with just league games left, and the potential for an exit from the Champions League this Tuesday when Frank Lampard's men try and overturn a 2-0 deficit against Real Madrid, the future of Felix is soon to be decided. The glimpses have been enough to ensure Chelsea are keen to keep him, but Atletico's valuation is proving a stumbling block.
The Spanish giants want a sizeable portion of their money paid of Felix returned, valuing the player at £90 million, according to the Daily Mail. Given the transfer fees already splashed by Todd Boehly this season, the London club are said to favour a season long loan.
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Which could open the door for another interested party. According to The Metro, Manchester United are closely monitoring developments, with Erik ten Hag keen for reinforcements in his forward department.
The United record for a transfer fee currently stands at the £90 million paid to bring Paul Pogba to Old Trafford. With extortionate fees paid out for Harry Maguire and Jaden Sancho, both of who like Pogba have also been deemed underwhelming signings, such money would represent a gamble for the club.
But ten Hag's plans for a strong finish to the season have currently been rocked by an injury to top scorer Marcus Rashford. And it's left the Red Devils short of attacking options as they bid to cement a top four place, as well as still vying for both the Europa League and FA Cup.
Felix, 23, has found himself left out of the Chelsea XI for the home game with Brighton this (Saturday) afternoon. He's one of six changes made by Lampard following the 2-0 midweek defeat at the Bernabeu.