Joao Felix’s Decision: Barcelona Prevails Over Liverpool, Man Utd, and Villa

Joao’s aspiration was crystal clear – he longed to don the famous Barcelona jersey and play for the club. Displaying a great determination, the Portuguese player maneuvered his way out of Atletico Madrid and patiently waited until the very end of the transfer window to secure a deal with the esteemed Catalan giants.

It is reported in Spain that Joao Felix had received offers from prominent Premier League teams such as Liverpool, Aston Villa, and Manchester United.

The Portuguese international, however, didn’t quite live up to the high expectations following his record-breaking £113 million transfer from Benfica to Atletico Madrid. His performances have been inconsistent, and he struggled to fit into the plans of Atletico’s manager, ‘Cholo’ Simeone. Last year, the Spanish club even attempted to loan him to a Premier League club, with Chelsea being one of the potential destinations.

During his loan spell with Chelsea, the 23-year-old failed to shine, leading to the Blues opting not to exercise the option to buy him in the January transfer window.

Despite his desire to regain his best form, Joao Felix was reluctant to return to the English top flight, where there were rumors of interest from Manchester United for a loan move to Atletico. Meanwhile, Liverpool expressed their willingness to offer him in exchange for Darwin Nunez.

It is also reported by the Spanish outlet ‘Mundo Deportivo’ that Joao Felix received offers from Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal before they signed Neymar. Nevertheless, Joao Felix remained determined to push for a transfer to Barcelona, where he could fulfill his dream of playing in the Champions League.

The talented striker made significant sacrifices to join the Barcelona giants, including accepting a substantial salary cut and signing a contract extension with Atletico, which will now expire in 2029.

Date of publication: September 1, 2023