Chelsea want to sign Joao Felix permanently

Despite Joao Felix’s unstable performance, Chelsea still wants to keep the Portuguese forward after the end of the 2022/23 season, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Chelsea wants to include Felix as part of their long-term plans, as they are satisfied with his impact and the 23-year-old star himself wants to continue playing for the London-based team.

Felix joined Chelsea on loan from Atletico for €11 million, including a six-month salary, in early January. Since then, the Portuguese international has made 12 appearances and scored 2 goals for Chelsea, a relatively modest number compared to initial expectations.

Romano says that Felix’s future at Chelsea after this season depends on Atletico’s asking price. In the summer of 2019, Atletico had to pay over €127 million to sign Felix, and they cannot expect a similar amount now.

Another factor affecting Felix’s future at Chelsea is the team’s new long-term head coach. The Blues are currently searching for a suitable coach and have appointed Frank Lampard as interim head coach until the end of the 2022/23 season. In his debut game back with the team, Lampard suffered a 0-1 defeat to Wolves.

The 23-year-old striker will have a heavy responsibility when Chelsea visits Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals on April 13. The Blues have not won a game since March 11 and have no chance of qualifying for the competition next season through the Premier League. Therefore, Lampard’s team must win the Champions League this season.

In theory, this is possible, but Chelsea must first beat reigning champions Real Madrid. While playing for Atletico, Felix faced Real Madrid six times but failed to score or assist in any of the games. Atletico lost four games and drew twice against Real Madrid during Felix’s time there.

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