Atletico Madrid chief Enrique Cerezo has admitted he is unsure whether Joao Felix will remain at the club next season.
A fractured relationship with long-serving manager Diego Simeone saw the Portuguese forward sign for Chelsea on loan in January. Felix, who has 30 caps for his national side, arrived at Atletico for a club-record fee almost four years ago.
The now 23-year-old was billed as one for the future but a public fallout with Simeone plunged him down the pecking order. Stamford Bridge proved a safe haven earlier this year as Chelsea spent £10million to loan him for the remainder of the campaign.
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Unlike other big-money arrivals since Todd Boehly bought the club, Felix has shown quality. There are suggestions the Blues could make the move permanent but Atletico aiming to recoup a large chunk of the £113million paid to Benfica could become a stumbling block.
Last month, Colchoneros supremo Cerezo hinted at the idea of Felix staying put. He said “What’s next for Joao? He will have a place in the team if he comes back here, for sure. We don’t know what will happen. In football, you can’t take anything for granted.”
In a few short weeks, it appears Cerezo has U-turned on that stance - insisting he does not know what will happen with Felix. A contract until 2027 places the La Liga outfit in a favourable position to command a hefty fee.
“We don’t know what will happen to Joao Felix,” he told Radio Marca. “At the moment, he is at Chelsea. When he finishes playing for Chelsea, he can renew, or not, he can continue another season, or not… But don’t worry, he will continue to play.”
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