Barcelona could be set to lose out on Joao Felix as Benfica's president has confirmed "ongoing" negotiations with the Atletico Madrid attacker.
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Benfica want Felix back from AtleticoBarcelona hoping for another loanReturn to Atletico might not be an optionWHAT HAPPENED?
Felix's future remains uncertain after his loan spell at Barcelona came to an end. Despite the forward's desire to stay at Camp Nou, Barcelona's priorities appear to have shifted towards other targets, namely Nico Williams and Dani Olmo. The Catalan giants have shown reluctance to meet Atletico Madrid's hefty €80 million (£68m/$87m) asking price for Felix, stalling any potential negotiations.
AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
With Barcelona hesitating to make a formal bid and a loan deal seemingly off the table, Benfica have reportedly entered the fray with an offer of a cut-price deal for Felix. The forward, who became the fourth-most expensive player in history when he moved from Benfica to Atletico Madrid for £114 million ($147.26m) in July 2019, is now the subject of a potential return to his former club for just £12.7 million ($16.41m), while Atletico is holding out for a fee above £21 million ($27.13m). As part of the proposed deal, Benfica would purchase 50 per cent of Felix's rights, entitling Atletico to half of any future transfer fee.
WHAT RUI COSTA SAID
Benfica president Rui Costa has acknowledged that the club are indeed in talks with Atletico but refused to divulge any further details when asked about the negotiations for Felix and Renato Sanches.
"It wasn’t just Di María who did it [returning to Benfica]. We also proved that with Gonçalo Guedes. What we want are good players and if we can have players who also know the club and know Portuguese football, it’s an advantage," Costa told reporters in Switzerland.
When pressed about the potential returns of Felix and Sanches, Costa added: "These are ongoing negotiations and therefore should not be discussed publicly, as that is not helpful. Many names have been mentioned, and other names are also being mentioned."
DID YOU KNOW?
One of the main obstacles for Benfica in re-signing Felix is his substantial £6.7 million ($8.65m) annual salary, which would make him one of the club's highest earners, alongside Angel Di Maria and Juan Bernat. To facilitate this potential deal, Benfica might consider selling defender Antonio Silva, who has attracted interest from top clubs like Manchester United, Chelsea, and Newcastle.