Portugal international striker Joao Felix has joined Chelsea from Atletico Madrid on a seven-year contract, the English club announced on Wednesday.
“I’m really happy to be back at Chelsea and I can’t wait to get started,” Chelsea quoted the Portuguese player, who previously played for the London club for half a season on loan from Atletico, as saying. “I’ll see some familiar faces from my last time here, which is always nice.”
“I loved my time here before and I told my friends and family that I would love to come back to the Premier League one day. To do that with Chelsea is a great feeling and I’m excited to be back.”
The 24-year-old Portuguese played for Chelsea in the second half of the 2022-23 season, making a total of 20 appearances, including 16 in the Premier League, before returning to Atletico Madrid, who loaned him back to local rivals Barcelona, where he played last season.
The value of the deal was not disclosed, but according to specialized media, it could reach 53 million euros.
Atletico acquired Felix in the summer of 2019 from Benfica for a reported €126 million, making him the fourth most expensive signing in football history.
The left winger played hundreds of matches with the Spanish capital team, and his contract with them extended until 2029, without becoming an indispensable element for his Argentine coach Diego Simeone.
As in every summer, Chelsea are making a lot of deals and long-term contracts, a situation that has forced new Italian coach Enzo Maresca to make difficult choices, including not using the services of winger Raheem Sterling last Sunday in the match against Manchester City (lost 0-2) in the opening match of the English Premier League, which raised eyebrows.
The announcement of Felix joining Chelsea comes at the same time as the latter has given up Conor Gallagher to Atletico.