Diego Simeone has claimed that if Mauricio Pochettino wants to sign Joao Felix then Chelsea will have to submit a bid which is 'good financially' for Atletico Madrid. In January, the 23-year-old signed a six-month loan deal at Stamford Bridge to further bolster the Blues' frontline.
Felix featured 16 times for the west Londoners in the Premier League, directly contributing towards four goals. The Portugal international impressed at times, but he struggled to get his feet under the table at disjointed club.
As exclusively revealed by football.london, neither an option nor obligation to sign Felix permanently was included in his contract. Even if the west Londoners had inserted a clause to buy the forward, Pochettino didn't want him next season anyway, according to Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo.
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"We've been informed that Pochettino does not count with Joao Felix for Chelsea," said the Spaniard. "He will return here, we'll see. We have nothing planned."
football.london understands Felix loved his time in London and was eager to stay beyond the expiry of his loan, but Pochettino had other ideas. However, if the newly-appointed Chelsea boss changes his mind then Simeone has seemingly left the door open for a bid.
Speaking to El Partidazo De COPE, as quoted BirminghamLive, the Atletico boss said: "Joao is our player. If Chelsea don’t want to sign him as apparently Pochettino decided… he will be back here and he will be part of our team. I can work with him, I’ve no problem at all with Joao. He knows that."
Then, when asked if there's been any bids for Felix, Simeone replied: "Bids for Joao Felix? We have to see if the proposal will be good financially for the club, that is crucial."
In March, Felix was asked if he would be open to staying at Chelsea. He replied: "If I want to stay or not, the future nobody knows. I am only focused on tomorrow's game.
"After that, we don't know what will happen. I am here and the club is so big, it's amazing. Everyone behind the club is so good so I am happy to be here."
Then, on how much he needed the opportunity to spread his wings at Chelsea, Felix added: "I think I need it. When I left Atletico I thought it was good for me and for them.
"So I think it was the perfect deal. I just wanted to try something different because I always try to do my best. Sometimes it didn’t work so I have to change to see if things go differently. So I think it’s important for me this loan and I’m very happy to play here."
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