A multitude of transfer suitors including Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United have been put on red alert over Joao Felix.
Standard Sport understands that Atletico Madrid have placed an £86million (€100m) price tag on the 23-year-old forward, who has helped Portugal reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup in Qatar in style.
Felix looks poised to leave the Wanda Metropolitano after his relationship with manager Diego Simeone broke down, with club CEO Gil Marin having claimed this week that a January exit was “reasonable” to expect.
The player also appeared to aim a not-so-subtle dig at his club manager after registering two assists in Portugal’s sparkling 6-1 thrashing of Switzerland in the last-16 on Tuesday.
“The way you play here and at the club are different,” he said. “When the conditions are favourable, things go better.”
Sources say that no firm offers have yet been made for Felix, who is represented by ‘super agent’ Jorge Mendes, but that a number of clubs are interested in a potential transfer and monitoring the situation closely.
Most suitors would likely prefer an initial loan move with an option to buy but could be charged a sizeable loan fee.
Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Benfica have all been linked with Felix, who left the latter for Atletico in a blockbuster £113m deal in the summer of 2019, going on to score 33 goals in 129 appearances in Spain after signing a seven-year contract.
Premier League leaders Arsenal could look at the former Porto youth star as a potential replacement for Gabriel Jesus, who could be sidelined for three months after undergoing surgery on a knee injury sustained with Brazil at the World Cup.
Meanwhile, Manchester United are looking to bolster their attack following the explosive and premature end to Cristiano Ronaldo’s second spell at Old Trafford, amid renewed links to Netherlands and PSV Eindhoven winger Cody Gakpo.
In Chelsea’s case, they would need to move on attackers like Christian Pulisic and Hakim Ziyech before moving for a player like Felix.
AC Milan are interested in a loan deal for Ziyech - who has played a huge part in Morocco’s fairytale journey to the World Cup quarter-finals - in January that includes the option for a permanent transfer.
