The latest as Aston Villa reignite their interest in Chelsea star Joao Felix.
Aston Villa have reportedly asked for the conditions of a potential deal to sign out-of-sorts Chelsea forward Joao Felix.
The Villans have been linked relentlessly with the Portugal international throughout the past three or four transfer windows and the speculation has reared its head once again. Villa were the odds-on favourites to sign Felix in the summer but Chelsea swooped in to acquire his services for £46.3 million, while Conor Gallagher moved in the opposite direction for £36 million.
Despite joining for such a sizeable fee, Felix has played just 363 minutes in the Premier League this season, rarely featuring due to Cole Palmer’s talismanic presence in the same position. When Felix decided to move to Stamford Bridge permanently, he clearly didn’t learn his lesson from a failed loan move in the second half of the 2022/23 season – when he scored just four goals in 20 matches.
Appearances in other competitions have been a success this term, at least, as Felix has scored four goals in just five UEFA Europa Conference League games and a further two goals in the 5-0 Emirates FA Cup win over Morecambe. He just needs to find his feet in the English top tier and that seems unlikely given Chelsea’s depth.
Villa see this as an opportunity to reignite their interest, claims transfer news specialist Fabrizio Romano. The Italian journalist reports Unai Emery has already given the green light for Villa to sign Felix with a post on X (formerly Twitter) stating: “Emery remains clear; if there’s a chance, he wants Joao.”
It’s said to be a complicated situation that all depends on Chelsea as “the formula of the deal is not easy for the final days”, though Villa are seemingly trying their luck. As one of Emery’s long-term targets, Felix would gain far more Premier League minutes at Villa Park than he has so far at Stamford Bridge.
Widely regarded as a world-class player when at his best, Felix can play as an advanced centre-forward, as a false nine or on either flank. Emery would likely utilise the 45-time Portugal international just in behind Ollie Watkins, competing with recent new £23 million signing Donyell Malen. It’s an exciting prospect, to say the least.
Axel Disasi deal could complicate Joao Felix swoop
Villa’s current pursuit of Chelsea defender Axel Disasi could get in the way of a sensational move for Felix. Signing Disasi permanently reportedly isn’t an option – neither is an obligation to buy clause – so Villa would have to bring him in on loan. As Premier League rules state teams cannot make two loan signings from the same domestic club, Disasi’s arrival could block Felix’s.
