Joao Felix scored his first goal at Stamford Bridge for Chelsea in the 2-2 Premier League draw with Everton. Had it not been for Ellis Simms' late strike, the headlines emerging from the game would have likely been centred around Felix who put in a tremendous display.
Even prior to his well-taken goal, Felix was causing the Everton defence numerous problems, particularly in the first half with one piece of skill bamboozling James Tarkowski who had rushed out of defence to close him down. When receiving a pass from midfield, Felix sensed Tarkowski's imminent arrival and delicately flicked the ball through his legs on the half turn.
Proving he can be more than just a highlight reel, Felix netted his second goal since joining the club on loan from Atletico Madrid in January. A loose ball broke the way of the Portugal international who turned quickly and struck a low driven effort past Jordan Pickford and in off the post.
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Much has been said about the future of Felix both on the Chelsea and Atletico side. Having seen what he can bring to the team, it is likely that Graham Potter and Todd Boehly hope he seals a permanent move, but Atletico will likely demand a high fee to sanction an exit.
While the Blues may not need much convincing, former player Emmanuel Petit has told Felix why he should sign for the club on a permanent basis. “Joao Felix has recently improved. He also seems happy in the blues," he told wettfreunde.
"Changing clubs again and again doesn't help to develop splendidly either. Stability is the best advice.”
For Chelsea to sign Felix in the summer, departures will certainly be needed and they will most likely come in the attacking department. Hakim Ziyech and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang were both close to sealing January moves, while Christian Pulisic saw his stock rise following a bright World Cup campaign with the USNMT star said to be unhappy over his game time.
A midfielder is also likely to arrive at the end of the season, with Denis Zakaria leaving at the end of his loan spell, leaving the Blues a man light in the middle of the park. Chelsea hold a buy option but it is unlikely to be activated meaning he will return to Juventus.
A bloated squad is another reason why Chelsea should look to seal outgoings with Petit listing three players who would get more minutes elsewhere.
He said: "Those responsible will try to bring a balanced squad, because a group that is too big can only cause unrest in the long run. But I have a hard time naming names. There are some players who haven't played a major role for a long time and who would get more playing experience elsewhere, such as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Hakim Ziyech or Denis Zakaria."
Aubameyang was signed for £10million last summer while Ziyech joined the club in 2020 in a £38million move from Ajax, but both their Chelsea careers look set to end soon.
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