Atletico Madrid are ready to use Joao Felix in a swap deal with Barcelona, where he has been playing on loan this season.
The unfolding saga of Joao Felix promises to capture attention this summer. Atletico Madrid has decided against including him in their roster for the upcoming season.
Barcelona, where he seems most likely to land for the 2024-25 season, hesitates to make his move permanent due to the steep valuation set by Atletico.
A repeat loan with an option for a future buyout appears to be the most feasible path forward. Yet, there’s still a possibility that Felix could officially join Barcelona this summer, potentially without a transfer fee or at a considerably lower cost.
Ruben Uria, as reported by Sport, suggests that Atletico might relax their financial expectations for Felix if Barcelona agrees to transfer Robert Lewandowski to them without a fee, reminiscent of the Luis Suarez deal in 2020.
If Barcelona consents, Atletico would significantly lower their price for Felix or possibly forego it entirely.
The pursuit of Lewandowski by Atletico Madrid is apparently earnest, with certain figures within Barcelona’s management eager to offload the Polish forward due to his high salary.
This developing scenario is certainly one to monitor closely. Barcelona is reportedly open to parting ways with Lewandowski, but that would necessitate finding a suitable replacement.
At the moment, they hardly have the financial means to purchase a new striker. Therefore, it also seems unlikely that they will conclude a deal with Atletico to send him to the Spanish capital.