As it was last summer, Joao Felix’s situation will be one to watch over the coming weeks. He’s not expected to remain at Atletico Madrid for the forthcoming season, although at this stage, he’s not close to joining another club.
Felix is currently part of Atleti’s squad for pre-season. If no acceptable offers arrive before the end of the summer, he would stay put – although it would remain to be seen whether he’d be called upon by Diego Simeone, whom he has fallen out with over the last couple of years.
Barcelona are interested in re-signing Felix on loan, although they do not consider him a priority for now. Aston Villa are planning a move, but for, they are also biding their time. On the other hand, Benfica have been in talks with Atleti, although their president, Rui Costa, has confirmed that a deal is impossible, for now.
Benfica’s stance is good news for Aston Villa, who are now most likely to sign Felix this summer. However, they would require Atletico Madrid to relax their demands, which is likely to happen as time moves towards the transfer window deadline.