Aston Villa are apparently eyeing a summer move for Atletico Madrid sensation Joao Felix, battling a number of other European clubs.
The Portugal international, who is presently attending the 2024 UEFA European Championships in Germany, is set to leave Atletico during this window. Felix was signed from Benfica for a staggering €126 million (£106 million) in 2019, the same year he received the prestigious Golden Boy award.
Felix, now 24, has failed to realize the enormous potential that was expected of him, although he has not performed poorly. The forward has 34 goals and 18 assists in 131 games for Atletico, while a loan spell at Barcelona last season yielded 10 goals and six assists in 44 appearances, the most of which came from the bench.
Benfica has already launched a proposal to reconcile with their former wonderkid. An offer of €32.5 million (£27.5 million) has been made for 50% of Felix’s future transfer rights. Barcelona wants to sign the Portuguese permanently but cannot afford to match the offer.
If Villa opt to make their own approach, Felix could get a second chance at Premier League football. The dynamic forward joined Chelsea for the second part of the 2022/23 season, but his loan was a disaster, with only four goals in 18 games.