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Chelsea's new recruit Joao Felix has opened up on re-joining the club, this time permanently. He is set to arrive from Atletico Madrid for a reported fee of £44.5 million plus add-ons.
Felix had spent six months on loan at Stamford Bridge, joining them from Atletico in January 2023 until June 2023. He made 20 appearances across competitions, scoring three goals. He then spent the entirety of last season on loan at Barcelona.
He's now returned to Stamford Bridge and said upon his arrival (via Chelseafc.com):
"It’s a chance for me to find a home. After two loans, Chelsea and Barca, I needed to stay permanently in one place. There is no better place for me to be than Chelsea. I see a perfect place to shine.
"It was a little bit of a lot of things that made me want to come back: the project, the club, the league, the fans, the time I spent here that I loved. I felt really good when I was here, despite the results we had. I’m really happy to be back."
Felix broke onto the scene with Benfica, which saw Atletico Madrid spend a whopping €127 million to sign him in 2019. He registered just 34 goals and 18 assists in 131 games for them before falling out with manager Diego Simeone.
Joao Felix explains how he's improved in recent years after joining Chelsea
Joao Felix was considered one of the most promising youngsters during his time at Benfica. He scored 20 goals and provided 11 assists in 43 senior games for the Portuguese side. However, it hasn't gone well for him since as he's failed to live up to the hype.
After joining Chelsea, he explained how he's improved and matured his game in recent years, saying (via Chelseafc.com):
"I’ve developed as a player in a lot of ways: the perception of the game, and the spaces the ball can arrive easily where I can make more impact. I try to figure it out by watching some videos of me of my games.
"I’ve kind of changed since I was last here. I’m 24 now. I’ll be 25 in November. I feel like I grew up as a player. That’s normal with age. I’m more prepared for the Premier League.
"I feel like my best years are ahead of me. I have no doubt about that. The best years are still to come. And this year is going to be a good year, because now I am permanently at home, and I can enjoy home."
The Blues will next face Servette at home in the first of their UEFA Europa Conference League playoff on Thursday, August 22. However, Felix won't feature in that game. He could take part in their Premier League clash against Wolverhampton Wanderers away on August 25.
