FC Barcelona have announced the signing of a player previously bought for €126 million ($136 million).
As revealed at around 22.15 local time by the Catalans on the summer transfer window’s deadline day, Joao Felix has joined the club as part of a loan deal which will run until June 30, 2024.
Though it is obviously not permanent, and there is no purchase option either, Felix has completed what he previously described as a “dream” move.
“I’d love to play for Barca,” the Portugal international told transfer market expert Fabrizio Romano in a mid-July exclusive.
“Barcelona has always been my first choice and I’d love to join Barca. It was always my dream since I was a kid. If it happens, it will be a dream come true for me,” he added.
These remarks about a direct rival did not impress Atletico Madrid fans who subsequently booed the 23-year-old.
Irrespective of loyalties, they were widely seen as a way of Felix engineering his way out of the club from the Spanish capital after Chelsea did not make his loan permanent at the end of the 2022/2023 season.
Whether this is true or not, Felix and his agent Jorge Mendes, as well as Barca president Joan Laporta have gotten what the want in the end.
With La Masia graduate Ansu Fati having left on loan to Brighton, and Ez Abde possibly switching to Real Betis, Blaugrana manager Xavi Hernandez doesn’t boast many options on the left wing where Felix is expected to play.
Xavi has shown a preference to playing four midfielders with one a false left winger, however, and it will be down to Felix to convince his new boss that he should instead opt for a 4-3-3 with two natural widemen.
It is currently unclear whether Felix will be registered in time and ready to play in Sunday’s La Liga match with Osasuna for the Catalans.
If not, we will likely see him Barca colors for the first time after the international break when Real Betis travel to the Montjuic Stadium to to take on Xavi’s La Liga champions.
As Fati is now out of the picture, Felix could inherit his number 10 shirt made most famous by club legends Lionel Messi and Ronaldinho.