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Atletico Madrid chief drops huge bombshell over Joao Felix’s future.
Atletico Madrid chief executive Gil Marin has dropped a huge bombshell over the future of Portuguese superstar Joao Felix.
During Portugal’s 6-1 victory over Switzerland in the World Cup round of 16, the 23-year-old was in electric form, contributing two assists in a display of his brilliant ball skills.
But he has had trouble having the influence at Atletico Madrid that many had hoped he would have. He was bought from Benfica for an astounding €126 million (£113 million) in 2019, but Diego Simeone hasn’t always given him a regular spot in the team.
The relationship between the two has clearly deteriorated as the Argentine’s tactics have appeared to be at odds with Felix’s preferred style of play.
Felix, who is under contract with Atletico Madrid until 2026, is reportedly hoping to leave the club next year. Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United, and Chelsea are all reportedly interested in him, but Atletico may not want to face a significant loss on their significant investment.
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The player’s desire to leave the Metropolitano Stadium, however, seemed to be confirmed by chief executive Marin, who suggested that Felix’s time at Atleti may be coming to an end.
“[Joao Felix] is the biggest bet this club has taken in its history. I personally think he’s a top talent, a world class player,” Marin told TVE.
“For reasons it isn’t worth getting into – the relationship between him and the boss [Simeone], the minutes played, his motivation right now – it makes you think that the reasonable thing is that if there’s an option that’s good for the player, good for the club, we can look at it. I’d love him to stay personally, but I don’t think that’s the player’s idea.”
In 94 La Liga appearances for Atleti over three and a half seasons, Felix has only scored 24 goals, and this season, across all competitions, he has only netted four goals.
He is, however, appearing to be a crucial component of Fernando Santos’ Portugal team, who will face Morocco in the World Cup quarterfinal on Saturday.