Aston Villa are currently in discussions to sign Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix, a player highly desired by manager Unai Emery, Soccernet.football reports.
Felix is considered a top target for Emery, with Villa actively pursuing a deal. However, securing the Portuguese international’s signature is expected to be both costly and challenging.
After spending the 2023/2024 season on loan at Barcelona, Felix’s future is once again uncertain. He has returned to Atletico Madrid, but Villa are keen on bringing him back to the Premier League.
Felix previously had a brief stint in the Premier League with Chelsea on loan but returned to Spain after a less-than-stellar performance.
Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has reported that Villa are maintaining ‘active contacts’ for Felix, indicating that Emery sees him as a ‘dream’ signing. The deal is set to be an expensive one and poses challenges for Villa, yet the club remains interested.
Felix joined Atletico in 2019 for a substantial £113 million, making him the fifth-most expensive signing in football history at that time.
With Moussa Diaby potentially heading to Saudi Arabia, despite only joining Villa last summer, Emery’s team is looking for a replacement. Villa are set to receive around £60 million from Diaby’s sale, which could help finance the purchase of Felix from Atletico.
The transfer window has been exciting for Villa fans, with new signings like Ross Barkley, Ian Maatsen, Amadou Onana, Samuel Iling-Junior, and Jaden Philogene-Bidace already bolstering the squad.
Despite these impressive additions, signing Felix would be a significant coup as Villa gear up for their return to Champions League football.
