Chelsea could give Joao Felix the perfect welcoming gift once the transfer is completed, with the Blues having reached an agreement to sign the Portugal international permanently from Atletico Madrid.
Chelsea and Felix have already reached agreement on personal terms. Felix is expected to return to Stamford Bridge on a six-year contract with the option of a further twelve months’ extension.
Felix spent the second half of the 2022/23 season on loan from Atletico to Chelsea, where he scored four goals in 20 appearances.
This time, the Blues would sign Felix permanently, bringing an end to his five-year spell at the La Liga club.
The 24-year-old joined Atletico from Benfica in 2019 in a €126 million (£107 million) contract. Since then, the striker has been on loan at Chelsea and most recently Barcelona and is now close to a permanent move away from the Spanish capital.
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Should Felix complete the formalities of his transfer and become a permanent member of the Chelsea squad, he could be given his dream squad number. When the striker first signed for Atletico in 2019, he was given the number 7 shirt, which has since been taken over by Antoine Griezmann.
The number 7 position is currently occupied by Raheem Sterling at Chelsea, although there is speculation over his future following the weekend’s defeat to Manchester City. Sterling was left out of the matchday squad by manager Enzo Maresca, prompting the England international’s representatives to issue a statement ahead of kick-off at Stamford Bridge.
The only way for Felix to get the number 7 shirt would be if Sterling left the club or offered the Portuguese international a swap upon his arrival. Felix wore the number 11 shirt during his loan spell with the Blues in 2023.
