MILAN HAS SHOWN INTEREST IN JOAO
Joao Félix, unexpected 'ally' of Barça in the bid for Rafael Leao
Published:19/01/2025 - 23:14h
Updated:20/01/2025 - 02:16h
Joao Félix's future points to Serie A in the winter market. Recent rumors indicate Milan's interest in the Portuguese player, a move that could clear the way for Rafael Leao to sign with Barça
Joao Félix would be involved in a deal that could be beneficial, in the medium term, for FC Barcelona. The attacking midfielder, who played on loan for the Catalan team last season, has also been unable to earn a place at Chelsea and is now targeting a giant of Serie A with which Barça has a common interest for the upcoming summer market: Rafael Leao.
According to 'La Gazzetta dello Sport', Jorge Mendes has been working for a couple of weeks on bringing the Viseu native to AC Milan, where he would share a locker room with Leao. The imminent departure of the '10' next summer leads the 'rossoneri' management to seek alternatives regarding left wingers, and the profile of the Chelsea player fits what the new Milan coach, Sergio Conceiçao, is looking for.
In this sense, Joao's arrival at San Siro could be decisive in clearing the path for Rafa towards Barcelona. The 25-year-old 'star' is also represented by Mendes and has already made it clear to the agent his intention to wait for a Barça offer next summer. At Can Barça, Deco is leaning towards his arrival, while Joan Laporta still doubts whether to fully commit to the Portuguese or give another chance to Nico Williams, despite his snub last summer and the minimum price (€100M) that Milan demands to let him go. In any case, Mendes' work will be key to resolving both operations.
Milan closer to finalizing Joao Félix's loan
Meanwhile, Milan is taking steps to finalize Joao Félix's arrival with a formula that satisfies Chelsea's finances. The 'rossoneri' propose a loan for a year and a half, with a mandatory purchase option for €35 million. The 'blue' team paid €52 million to Atlético de Madrid in the last summer market, a surprising move that has not had the desired impact at Stamford Bridge.
The former 'colchonero' attacking midfielder has barely accumulated 941 minutes of action spread over 19 matches in which, while he has scored 7 goals and provided 2 assists, he has not managed to earn the trust of coach Enzo Maresca. The Viseu native also failed to establish himself in the 2023-24 season with Xavi Hernández's Barça, beyond being a personal bet of Laporta. For Milan, the only persistent problem with Joao is related to his salary, as the €4.5 million net that the forward earns is too much for the 'rossoneri' budget.
