FC Barcelona had a memorable transfer window last summer as they were able to sign some of the best footballers in the world despite their fragile economic conditions.
The Catalans have players like Ilkay Gundogan and Joao Cancelo, who are both considered to be among the best players in their positions. Another highly-rated player that the Catalans were able to get in the summer was Joao Felix, who came on loan from Atletico Madrid.
Normally, Barcelona would not have been willing or able to spend money on Joao Felix, who commands a very high transfer fee because of his talent. However, his career at Atletico Madrid was at its lowest point this summer, which resulted in his loan move to Barcelona, the best possible scenario for all the involved parties.
Felix showed a clear difference in his game when he made his first few appearances with Barcelona. He got his first start in a Barcelona shirt in the game against Real Betis, where he also opened his scoring account at the Catalan club.
He then scored another two in the ensuing Champions League game against Royal Antwerp and has been in Xavi’s starting lineup since then.
While his scoring output has slowed somewhat in recent matches, his performances earlier in the season convinced Barcelona of his quality and his willingness to adapt to Xavi’s training and playing styles. The dressing room staff was also impressed by how quickly he had adapted to the new club.
However, Barcelona will have to spend big bucks if they want to obtain Felix permanently beyond his loan stint, as the journalist Luis Rojo claims that Atletico Madrid will not agree to such a move with a fee below €70 million at the least.
Previous reports indicated that Barcelona were looking for innovative ways to incorporate the Portuguese into their squad beyond this season, including negotiating another loan move with Atletico. However, the Mattress Makers would demand a significant fee even for a loan next summer.
