Chelsea Faces Challenge in Summer Transfer Window
With the summer transfer window approaching, Chelsea is once again grappling with the issue of offloading unwanted players, particularly Joao Felix, who is becoming a significant concern for the club.
Chelsea is bracing for a substantial loss as they look to sell Joao Felix, a player acquired for £45 million during a deal that sent Conor Gallagher to Atletico Madrid. Now, the club is attempting to offload him for a fraction of that price due to previous missteps in recruitment.
Felix has never been a player favored by coach Enzo Maresca and is seen as a result of Chelsea’s haphazard recruitment strategy. His signing was primarily to facilitate the Gallagher transfer, helping the club comply with profit and sustainability regulations.
His performance during a loan spell in 2023—scoring just four goals in 20 games—did little to justify a seven-year contract signed on transfer deadline day. The club’s failure to secure striker Samu Omorodion compounded their troubles, resulting in Felix being loaned to AC Milan for the latter part of the last season, where he scored only three goals in 21 appearances.
Recently, reports indicated that negotiations for his return to Benfica—the club that sold him to Atletico for £113 million—have stalled. Benfica has expressed interest but has hesitated to meet Chelsea’s £35 million asking price, countering with an offer of £17.3 million plus a 50% sell-on fee, which Chelsea rejected.
Amid lack of interest from Saudi clubs, Benfica is confident in their position, aware that they hold leverage in the negotiations. Coach Bruno Lage, who had previously worked with Felix during a successful league campaign, is interested in a reunion but affirms that there’s no urgency in the deal.
Chelsea had previously aimed to offload up to ten players this summer and has successfully transferred Noni Madueke and Djordje Petrovic. However, moving players like Felix remains a daunting task, especially given Maresca’s previous comments about the team not missing him, despite acknowledging his professionalism.
