14. Joao Felix

[TheHulk 1,892]

 

[OneMoSalah 8,788]

Well can’t wait for next summer when people are complaining about his inconsistent performances and number of goals or assists.

Another scatterguns signing which doesn’t make sense on any level but clearly there is no plan. So lets have at it and see what happens….

[Vesper 29,045]

João Félix: “Chelsea is a chance for me to find a home”.

“After two loans, Chelsea and Barca, I needed to stay permanently in one place. There is no better place for me to be than Chelsea”.

“I see a perfect place to shine”. 

[Vesper 29,045]

Why Joao Felix To Chelsea SHOULDN'T Work... But Does

 

[Magic Lamps 11,677]

This is last chance saloon for Felix. If he fails here again, his career is toast. He should be motivated and it looks like he is. Good luck. 

[Special Juan 27,440]

I like this lad and agree with some that he lacked end product at times, but he sounds motivated and ready for this challenge.

He's better than Mudryk and Sterling and is miles more versatile

[King Kante 1,504]

12 hours ago, OneMoSalah said:

Well can’t wait for next summer when people are complaining about his inconsistent performances and number of goals or assists.

Another scatterguns signing which doesn’t make sense on any level but clearly there is no plan. So lets have at it and see what happens….

His stats aren't actually bad: 

23/24 - 10 goals, 6 assists, 2143 mins (24 full games) 

22/23 - 9 goals, 3 assists, 2144 mins (24 full games) 

21/22 - 10 goals, 6 assists, 2050 mins (23 full games) 

20/21 - 10 goals, 6 assists, 2353 mins (26 full games)

Therefore over 4 seasons he has the following stats: 

97 full games to mins, 39 goals and 21 assists (60 total g/a) 

If you look at his minutes to goals/assits he is actually performing at a pretty high level. The issue is keeping him fit, focused and in the team. 

For me, I look at him as a player to bring off the bench on a consistent basis who can actually contribute. Is he perfect? No, of course not otherwise we wouldn't have got him. Is he better than Sterling or Mudryk? Yes. 

Edited August 22, 2024 by King Kante

[cosmicway 1,333]

I liked Joao Felix.
He was a victim of the great purge after the Potter season (Kovacic - Kai - Ziyech ...).
I believe he's going to do better this time.

[NikkiCFC 8,060]

If we don't get Osimhen I hope we play with Felix, Neto, Nkunku and Palmer in 4231. 

[OneMoSalah 8,788]

3 hours ago, King Kante said:

His stats aren't actually bad: 

23/24 - 10 goals, 6 assists, 2143 mins (24 full games) 

22/23 - 9 goals, 3 assists, 2144 mins (24 full games) 

21/22 - 10 goals, 6 assists, 2050 mins (23 full games) 

20/21 - 10 goals, 6 assists, 2353 mins (26 full games)

Therefore over 4 seasons he has the following stats: 

97 full games to mins, 39 goals and 21 assists (60 total g/a) 

If you look at his minutes to goals/assits he is actually performing at a pretty high level. The issue is keeping him fit, focused and in the team. 

For me, I look at him as a player to bring off the bench on a consistent basis who can actually contribute. Is he perfect? No, of course not otherwise we wouldn't have got him. Is he better than Sterling or Mudryk? Yes. 

His position, consistency and lax attitude are the biggest concerns I have.

If the penny drops here, OK, I will eat humble pie but I think aged 24 it should have done so by now. Particularly given the clubs he has played for already.

I suppose his stats there do look promising but I think that for what we need, particularly in terms of reliable contributors in the final third, he’s another wild card. If he is happy being a squad player ok fair enough, he doesn’t strike me as the sort of guy to do that though and I don’t think he really improves our first 11. Or is an actual LW. 

Edited August 22, 2024 by OneMoSalah

[King Kante 1,504]

1 hour ago, OneMoSalah said:

His position, consistency and lax attitude are the biggest concerns I have.

If the penny drops here, OK, I will eat humble pie but I think aged 24 it should have done so by now. Particularly given the clubs he has played for already.

I suppose his stats there do look promising but I think that for what we need, particularly in terms of reliable contributors in the final third, he’s another wild card. If he is happy being a squad player ok fair enough, he doesn’t strike me as the sort of guy to do that though and I don’t think he really improves our first 11. Or is an actual LW. 

I do understand the concerns about Felix but equally I do think there is a argument to be had that he and Simeone was always a bad match and he got overhyped and moved at too young of an age. 

Additionally, I think there has to be some credit given to him that he has seriously cut his wages to get his moves. 

As I said, if people drill down with him, there are positives. However, he is now at an age were he does need to kick on in the next 12 months and become consistent or at least more consistent in terms of application and minutes on the pitch. 

For me, he is does fall into 'wildcard' but for me, he is a 'wildcard' that makes sense. 

[DDA 9,691]

I think he needs to be deployed in the CAM position. He has it all to play there. Try to reignite his Benfica form in a similar position. Just look at some of the plays he was involved in there. 
 

 

 

[Vesper 29,045]

Joao Felix has hard work ahead of him to convince Chelsea fans

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5711444/2024/08/22/joao-felix-has-hard-work-ahead-of-him-to-convince-Chelsea-fans-but-why/

The hard work for Joao Felix begins now.

Normally when an established international moves between two big clubs for a lot of money, the transfer is greeted with a lot of fanfare at the receiving end. But Joao Felix’s return to Chelsea, 15 months after the conclusion of a half-season on loan to them from Atletico Madrid, appears to have been predominantly greeted by a combination of indifference and people asking, ‘Why?’

There are a lot of reasons for this.

Forget his role in the whole saga of academy graduate Conor Gallagher moving in the opposite direction to Atletico, a drama that has had as many twists and turns as Joao Felix can manage with the ball at his feet on a good day. That has certainly not helped his cause in being greeted universally by all Chelsea fans, but it is not the prime cause for concern.

For starters, he was not even Chelsea’s first-choice target out of Atletico’s squad.

That honour fell to forward Samu Omorodion. A fee of £34.5million (€40m/$45m) was agreed between the two clubs for 20-year-old Omorodion less than two weeks ago, but the deal collapsed due to problems with the player’s contract. Chelsea then enquired about Joao Felix, making him come across very much as their Plan B, whether that is the case or not.

• Want to stay up to date with the best news and features as the Premier League gets rolling? Sign up (for free) to The Athletic FC newsletter

At £44.5million, they are paying more than Omorodion would have cost. Yet it is also a far smaller sum than was being talked about last year, when Chelsea considered turning Joao Felix’s loan into a permanent deal. They have secured him this time on a better wage package for their accounts too, with his base salary fitting into their current wage structure. There are also significant performance-related bonuses in place to reward him for individual and team targets being met, but no one will begrudge him a larger sum if he triggers them, as everyone benefits in that situation.

Being second choice does not seem to bother him. He is just glad to be at Chelsea again no matter what the circumstances. “I’m really happy to be back at Chelsea and I can’t wait to get started,” he said in the club’s official announcement of his transfer. “I can see some familiar faces from the last time I was here, which is always nice. I loved my time here before and I told my friends and family that I’d love to return to the Premier League one day. To do that with Chelsea is a great feeling and I’m excited to be back.”

He joins Chelsea having spent last season on loan at Barcelona, where inconsistency — a label the 24-year-old has struggled to shake off throughout his career — was a problem. A return of 10 goals and six assists from 44 appearances across all competitions (with only 24 of them being starts, and just five of the latter coming in 2024) is definitely respectable, but it’s not enough to win over the doubters despite the odd flash of brilliance.

Then there is the argument that, in terms of Chelsea’s attack, the 41-cap Portugal international does not fulfil their greatest need: a centre-forward to provide serious competition for Nicolas Jackson. The demand from many of Chelsea’s followers has been to see Napoli striker Victor Osimhen paraded in a royal blue shirt this summer, not another addition to the squad who does their best work playing off the main front man.

Chelsea sources however, kept anonymous to protect relationships, believe his arrival is a must because of the diminishing returns attacking players such as Raheem Sterling have been providing. It is no coincidence Sterling’s omission from the squad for the opening match of the club’s 2024-25 Premier League season against Manchester City on Sunday has been sandwiched by the purchases of Pedro Neto and now Joao Felix. But this logic will not appease those craving Osimhen or another centre-forward.

The possibility of the 25-year-old Nigeria international joining before the deadline next week is remote as things stand. Chelsea are only willing to consider a loan, something which does not appeal to either Napoli or Osimhen himself.

Chelsea’s priority over the coming days is also trying to get players out before the summer transfer shuts next Friday, not in.

Joao Felix can be forgiven if he is getting a sense of deja vu at the club’s base in Cobham, in the commuter belt south of London.

When he was here on loan between January and May last year, Chelsea had a bloated squad with several players not taking part in the main training sessions as they were deemed surplus to requirements. Many among their similarly-extensive ranks are experiencing the same fate now.

One of the reasons why new head coach Enzo Maresca is being given plenty of options to choose from, including Joao Felix, is that Chelsea want a large squad to cope with what could be the longest fixture list in the club’s history.

Chelsea’s current record for the number of matches played in a single season is 69 (including the Community Shield) set in 2012-13. There is a possibility of that being surpassed in 2024-25, dependent on going deep in all the cup competitions, with their involvement in the Conference League, UEFA’s third-tier club competition, and the expanded Club World Cup next June and July.

But senior players do not like being rotated regularly — they want to be one of the first names on the team sheet almost all the time. So who is Joao Felix going to get games instead of? Even with Sterling now seemingly persona non grata, Maresca has Cole Palmer, Christopher Nkunku, Mykhailo Mudryk, Noni Madueke, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Marc Guiu, Jackson and Neto to choose from in advanced roles. Even midfielder Enzo Fernandez operated further forward, in more of a No 10 role, against City at the weekend.

Chelsea do regard Joao Felix as a great fit for Maresca’s way of playing, but you would not want to see him operating out wide in the same way Nkunku struggled on their left flank during Sunday’s match. The man Atletico paid Benfica €126million (£107m/$140m at current exchange rates) for as a teenager in 2019 is much more effective operating inside, closer to the penalty area, making things tick from there. Yet that is the kind of position which really should be reserved, first and foremost, for Palmer.

In saying that, Joao Felix’s presence could help take some of the pressure off Palmer’s shoulders to be the team’s main creative force, after he was involved in 40 of the 103 Chelsea scored last season (25 goals, 15 assists) following a summer move from City.

The England international, 22, will undoubtedly be more of a marked man this time after putting up such numbers and it would be understandable if he does not match those extraordinary returns. If they are played together, Joao Felix may benefit from getting more space to work in than Palmer. His presence also gives Maresca the option to rest the Englishman for some games.

Joao Felix has been signed too late to make his debut against Servette in the Conference League qualifiers but should be in contention to face Wolves on Sunday and Maresca has no doubts he will be a great asset to have. Maresca explained: “First of all because he’s a good player. He is a talent, the club already know him from two years ago. I think the good thing about Joao is he can play in different positions with us. He can play inside, he can play as a No 9, he can play outside.”

Perhaps the biggest surprise over the general lack of enthusiasm is how Joao Felix’s previous spell at Chelsea is viewed.

A return of four goals and no assists from 20 appearances does raise question marks over the amount of end-product, but that tally would have read a lot better had he not hit the post or crossbar on four occasions. He certainly did not look like a bad player. And while some critics regard Chelsea as a bit of a mess now, this is nothing compared with the demoralised group Joao Felix played alongside then. Many of those players were just counting down the days until the end of the season so they could leave.

GO DEEPER

Joao Felix to Chelsea: The Athletic 500 transfer ratings

An indication of the massive turnover of players that has taken place at the club in a short time is signified by the fact only two of the first XI and seven of the 20-man squad (not including Gallagher) named for Joao Felix’s debut against Fulham on January 12 last year are still at Stamford Bridge now. Of those seven, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Trevoh Chalobah, Carney Chukwuemeka and David Datro Fofana are all now up for sale too, while Marcus Bettinelli is the third choice ’keeper and made his sole senior appearance for the club in January 2022. Only Marc Cucurella and Benoit Badiashile, both substitutes that night at Craven Cottage, are still part of the long-term plans.

Joao Felix played just 10 times before Graham Potter was sacked as the manager and replaced on an interim basis by Bruno Saltor (one game) and then Frank Lampard (the season’s remaining 11 matches). In other words, the circumstances could not have been much harder for a footballer to perform well in. Yet the Portuguese was often one of the only individuals in the Chelsea side worth watching every week.

During that unforgettable debut against Fulham, where he ran the show for 58 minutes before getting a straight red card for a terrible challenge on Kenny Tete, the crowd in the away end chanted his name to celebrate his arrival.

A goal against West Ham on his first appearance back after serving the ensuing three-game ban further endeared him to the Chelsea following, but as the club’s season petered out, so did the fans’ apparent enthusiasm for him. He got tarred with the same brush as some of his more underperforming team-mates, and perhaps that is why he has so many people to convince now he has joined permanently.

It was something he’d wanted to happen last summer only for Atletico’s club president Enrique Cerezo to say the possibility was blocked by Mauricio Pochettino, Chelsea’s then newly-appointed, and now former, head coach. “The news that we received yesterday is that the new manager doesn’t count on him at Chelsea,” he said.

It is clearly a different story for Pochettino’s replacement Maresca.

Both player and coach have a point to prove to a sceptical fanbase.

Perhaps they will end up helping each other do so.

GO DEEPER

Gallagher and Joao Felix moves speak for Chelsea's attraction to mystery boxes

[Vesper 29,045]

Joao Felix to Chelsea: The Athletic 500 transfer ratings

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5709986/2024/08/21/joao-felix-to-Chelsea-the-athletic-500-transfer-ratings/

Chelsea have signed Joao Felix from Atletico Madrid in a deal worth £44.5million ($58m). The Portugal forward has agreed a six-year contract with the option of an additional 12 months. Atletico also have a sell-on clause as part of the deal.

Our writers — experts in transfers, tactics, data and football finance — have come together to rate this summer’s senior Premier League moves in five categories, with each aspect given a score out of 100, to reach a total score out of 500. Hence, The Athletic 500. The ratings are explained in more detail here (note: not all deals will be covered in this series of articles, as there may be a lack of data to support an analysis).

Below is our rating for former Chelsea loanee Joao Felix’s return to Stamford Bridge.

Tactical fit — 71/100

A look at how the player fits into his new club, using Sentient Sports’ bespoke model, explained by our tactical expert.

Joao Felix’s move back to Chelsea has surprised many after being loaned to the club by Atletico Madrid for the second half of the 2022-23 season, especially considering the make-up of the Premier League side’s squad. He primarily plays as a second striker, but can function as a left-winger or false nine, and one of his strengths is his ability to demand the ball at his feet.

The 24-year-old spent almost all of last season on loan from Atletico to La Liga rivals Barcelona.

Here, in Barca’s 5-0 win against Real Betis last September, he receives a pass from Gavi and drives into space. He carries the ball to the right side, where he could play a pass to Ferran Torres. The Betis players are drawn to the ball, and gather around Joao Felix to try to prevent him progressing any further. But he cleverly plays a pass to the left for striker Robert Lewandowski, who takes a shot on goal.

Joao Felix links play and executes short, quick combinations in tight spaces. His connection with team-mates allows transitions and encourages greater fluidity in attacking phases.

As shown below, his ball-carrying leads to opportunities — and goals. The 41-cap Portugal international tends to move from left-sided areas into central zones, where there is greater potential for creativity due to the increased space and greater tactical advantages.

He is known for his agility and intelligence in finding space, which suits new Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca’s emphasis on attacking inside channels. His ability to make runs allows him to drift between defenders, creating mismatches that can exploit gaps in the opposition’s back line. He is able to drop into midfield and create numerical advantages centrally.

Despite these positives, the slight Joao Felix’s lack of physicality and inability to impose himself could be a challenge. He averages 1.8 dispossessions and 2.6 miscontrols per 90 minutes. He may struggle when pressed in games, making him susceptible to losing possession.

Moreover, there is going to be stiff competition for places within Chelsea’s attacking lineup, and Christopher Nkunku and Cole Palmer also prefer to operate in similar half-spaces and central areas, which could lead to congestion and limit Joao Felix’s effectiveness and minutes.

Gillian Kasirye

---

Season rating: 70/100

Rating the player over last season, using statistics from The Athletic’s data team.

Joao Felix endured a middling club season yet again, showing flashes of his potential without sustaining consistency.

He scored on his first start for Barcelona in the 5-0 rout of Real Betis mentioned above. Two assists followed in his next five La Liga appearances, and he also scored twice and registered an assist against Belgium’s Antwerp in another 5-0 win in Barca’s opening Champions League group game.

Joao Felix went 12 matches without scoring between September and November before crucial goals in back-to-back wins over Porto in the Champions League and parent club Atletico in La Liga. Despite that burst of form, his place in the starting XI no longer seemed secure, while an ankle injury in late January saw him miss four matches.

 

Joao Felix ended the season by scoring three times in Barca’s final 13 league matches (he only started four of them, and none of the last seven) to reach the 10-goal mark, also finishing with six assists in 44 appearances for them across four competitions.

His status as a fringe player in the biggest games is made clear by the fact he was on the pitch for just 50 combined minutes across their four matches in the Champions League knockout phase.

Anantaajith Raghuraman

---

Gaming rating: 83/100

Rating the player according to Football Manager 2024’s data across both current and potential ability.

Joao Felix, according to Football Manager, has the quality to compete for a first-team place at Chelsea immediately and the potential to become their best attacking player.

His current ability rating on FM24 is 153, which compares well against the club’s other present options in forward positions. For context, Raheem Sterling, who was left out of the squad for the 2-0 home defeat against Manchester City in Chelsea’s opening game of the Premier League season on Sunday, has a rating of 161, just behind top-rated Nkunku (162).

It feels as if the world has been waiting for Joao Felix to realise his prodigious potential since that excellent season at Benfica in 2018-19, but Sports Interactive’s extensive scouting network remains convinced there’s a player in there. Joao Felix has a potential ability rating of 177, which would make him comfortably Chelsea’s best forward and one of the best in the Premier League.

Elias Burke

---

Financial value rating: 50/100

A four-category summary of the player’s transfer in financial terms — and whether it makes sense for his new club

Market value — 14/25

Joao Felix cost Chelsea £44.5million, which, on the surface, does not appear a ridiculous sum of money for a 24-year-old with 41 caps for Portugal. Still, given his struggles to fulfil his potential since moving from Benfica to Atletico for €126million (£107m; $140m at today’s rates) in summer 2019 as a 19-year-old, it represents a hefty chunk of change.

Squad cost — 11/25

Joao Felix is joining a cluttered forward line. Chelsea have already added Wolves’ Pedro Neto and Barcelona prospect Marc Guiu and there does not appear to be an obvious starting role for Joao Felix.

The optics of Joao Felix being a makeweight for Conor Gallagher’s move to Atletico, a Cobham academy graduate, will not look good to supporters, who remain unconvinced about Chelsea’s direction under Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.

Contract sensibility — 13/25

What to do when buying a player who has largely underwhelmed for repeated recent seasons at a string of clubs, including your own? Well, give him a six-year contract with the option of an extra year on top, of course!

Few would argue that Joao Felix is not talented but there are questions over whether he can produce the level of performance often enough to justify his transfer fee and salary (though he fits into Chelsea’s wage structure with significant performance-related bonuses).

Resale value — 12/25

Since that transfer to Atletico five years ago, Joao Felix’s worth in the market has declined. He proved an awkward fit in the Spanish capital under coach Diego Simeone and on loan at Barca and Chelsea.

If he delivers in west London this time, Joao Felix’s worth will skyrocket again, and this signing would go down as a steal. Given the intense competition for places at Chelsea and limited assurances over game time, he might again find himself out of sorts, and with his value declining further.

Elias Burke

 

Risk or reward? 45/100

Is there a history of injury or other problems that could crop up and make this deal a bad one in retrospect? Or does the player come with a clean bill of health? Our expert takes a look.

There’s a universe where Joao Felix comes to Chelsea and proves an excellent signing.

In that universe, he takes over from Nicolas Jackson as Maresca’s starting No 9 and builds a telepathic rapport with Palmer, Nkunku, Neto and Enzo Fernandez, scoring 15 to 20 Premier League goals this season on his way to helping the club to Champions League qualification.

That could happen, and he has the quality to become that kind of player, but it’s unrealistic.

What seems far more likely is that Joao Felix finds himself in and out of Maresca’s team, competing for game time with several other talented attackers who appear not to have been recruited to boost squad harmony or help the team on the field but for something else.

He’s also had several niggling injuries since leaving his homeland five years ago. From his 2019-20 debut season with Atletico, Felix has been sidelined for one game or more on 13 occasions, including a muscle injury in 2022 that kept him out for 10 matches. It appears he has largely put those fitness woes behind him, as he has only suffered one notable injury in the past two years, but his health record will be a minor concern for Chelsea.

Elias Burke

Overall rating: 319/500

[DDA 9,691]

If we play Felix in his proper position.. CAM… he is going to make a HUGE difference to this team. Mark my words.

[Vesper 29,045]

[Blue Armour 4,317]

Had one glorious run in the game where he had the Palace defenders at his mercy, but produced a weak effort at goal.

Hope Maresca makes Felix channel his ability to create openings for other players instead of trying to do everything himself.

Not saying he can't finish a move himself, like he did against Wolves, but IMO he is at his best drawing defenders and creating space for other decisive attackers like Palmer.

Edited September 2, 2024 by Blue Armour

[Strike 7,260]

Has been seriously underwhelming especially when we know the talent is there. Was the Atletico player of the season in 21-22. I think he can be a crucial player to give Palmer some rest in the busy period. But bringing him on after 89 mins isn't a good idea - he looked disinterested from the moment he came on and let Maddison run around him easily to set up the Son goal.