One of the players with the most uncertain future at FC Barcelona is the Portuguese forward Joao Felix. The 23-year-old joined the Catalan club in the last summer transfer window on a loan, and thus in principle, remains an asset of Atletico de Madrid.
However, his relationship with the Madrid club hit rock bottom before his loan to Barcelona. Diego Simeone rarely used him in any matches, and the fanbase and the hierarchy at Atletico Madrid were incensed with him because of his comments about Barcelona when he was still an Atletico Madrid player and with his overall failure to justify his hefty price tag.
On the other hand, he started his Barcelona career with flying colors and impressed in his very first start in the garnet and blue jersey. As a result, Barcelona are interested in getting him permanently, but the economic situation of the Catalan club makes a transfer highly complicated.
This situation of the Portuguese forward was assessed in a recent interview by the President of Atletico Madrid, Enrique Cerezo, which has been reported by SPORT. Cerezo claimed Felix was going to be one of the best players in the world in the future:
“He’s going to be one of the best players in Europe. I wish him the best of luck at Barcelona. I don’t know if he will return. He has one year left on his contract, and Barcelona will have the option to buy him. If not, he will have to return to Atlético Madrid.”
Cerezo also admitted that Felix was unable to perform at the same level at Atletico Madrid as he is at Barcelona:
“No one knows. Players aren’t machines. He might have a magnificent season or not. You have to take the risk and buy. For the system of play or for whatever reason, he hasn’t adapted to us, but at Barcelona, from what I see, he’s playing very well.”
After a highly impressive start to life at Barcelona; Felix has slowed down a bit in the last few weeks. Still, anything can happen by the end of the season, and it remains to be seen whether Barcelona will have the resources and will to pursue Felix in the next summer transfer window.
