Joao Felix has completed his loan move to Chelsea for the remainder of the season - but the details of the arrangement hint at Atletico Madrid’s longer term plans.
Not only is the deal a temporary loan for the remainder of the campaign, but there is no option included for the Blues to make the move permanent and sign the player outright. The Blues came to a quick-fire agreement with the Spanish club, illustrating the common ground between the clubs.
The most eye-catching aspect of the arrangement is that not only does the Portugal international return to Los Rojiblancos this summer, but that he has extended his contract in the Spanish capital for another year – through to the summer of 2027.
Felix’s exit was driven by his deteriorating relationship with Atleti boss Diego Simeone, which has been at the heart of the club’s struggles and loss of identity this campaign. It was a clash that pitted the club’s record signing against the boss whose image has become synonymous with Atleti’s identity.
A temporary solution for the remainder of the season has now been found – Felix will no longer be in the dressing room and the personality clash with Simeone has been removed. However, the forward will return to the Spanish capital this summer and the club have illustrated with the contract renewal that they are committed to him in the long run.
Which brings about an issue which, until recently, had been almost unthinkable for Atletico: Simeone may not be boss for much-longer. Indeed, a report this week on Spanish TV show El Chiringuito claims that Simeone had already informed the club’s board of his decision to leave this summer.
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The Argentine’s contract runs through until 2024 but he is reportedly willing to walk away a year early and that motivation has logic. Having won La Liga twice and reached two Champions League finals, Simeone has pushed the club to their limits and, since the second of those league titles 18 months ago, the club’s form has dipped badly.
They spent large chunks of last season outside of La Liga’s top four and once again find themselves in fifth position after 16 rounds of action. Furthermore, they suffered the indignity of finishing bottom of their Champions League group – crashing out of Europe before Christmas for the first time in Simeone’s 11 years in the dugout.
Simeone’s successes at Atletico were built on unity and a clear, coherent success of identity. Yet Felix has been the latest big-money attacking arrival who has failed to thrive in this environment – not netting more than ten goals in any one season – and his struggles helped unravel the dynamic upon which the Argentine’s successes have been built.
