Cristiano Ronaldo's previous claims on striker Joao Felix may have given Arsenal and Chelsea the blessings they need to pursue a transfer in January. It comes as both London sides have been linked with a switch for the Portugal international as an option in the winter transfer window.
The Blues are on the lookout for a striker in January after an injury to youngster Armando Broja in a friendly against Aston Villa ruled him out for the season. Chelsea have been scouting Felix as an option this season, but interest in the Atletico Madrid forward remains tentative at this stage, football.london understands.
Arsenal are in a similar boat, having seen star signing Gabriel Jesus suffer an injury at the World Cup with Brazil that is set to keep him sidelined for a few months. They too are looking at the potential to land a striker in the January transfer window, though there's less urgency compared to their London rivals.
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Felix has been linked to both clubs, with an exit from Atletico Madrid looking increasingly likely after a difficult spell with the Spanish giants. The 23-year-old has shown glimpses of his promise though and only further emphasised that with some of his displays during the World Cup.
Should a move be possible, international teammate Ronaldo may have already given his blessing over a switch in a previous interview. Speaking to Mundo Deportivo in 2019, the forward said: "Can he [Felix] repeat my successes in Spain? I believe that a lot, because he is an excellent player with a lot of potential who can evolve.
"You can see the same with Bernardo [Silva] although he is already much more mature in this regard. It is difficult to make calculations in current football. You bet a lot on the potential and the football industry is different. Leaving aside the case of Joao Felix, any player is worth €100m, even without having proven anything."
It remains to be seen if he can reach that price tag which has been set, but Ronaldo's belief in the youngster and the feeling he can evolve further may show Chelsea and Arsenal the talent they can land.
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