Loan deals are something that FC Barcelona has relied on heavily in recent seasons. Due to their rather vulnerable financial state, the Catalan club is not against the idea of using loan players. While this is simply a temporary solution at best, it is one that Barcelona deems to be adequate for now.
Many players have arrived on loan over the last couple of seasons as a result. This list of arrivals also includes 24-year-old Portuguese star Joao Felix, who arrived at Barcelona in the last summer as a result of his falling out with his parent club Atletico Madrid.
Now, with Felix’s loan set to end this summer, Barcelona are not ready to part ways just yet. However, beyond just the rather uninspiring competition from Manchester United, Barcelona may have to deal with the interest from another suitor who may pack more of a punch towards Barça’s aspirations with Felix.
According to SPORT, Portuguese legend and footballing icon Jose Mourinho wants Joao Felix to join him at Turkish side Fenerbahçe. Mourinho has just recently been appointed as the new head coach of the Istanbul-based club, and he believes Felix would be a great addition to his team.
In a recent meeting with Felix’s Portuguese agent, Jorge Mendes, Mourinho was mainly discussing another operation. However, the Fenerbahçe coach took the opportunity to also bring up the name of Joao Felix, who spent the last season on loan at FC Barcelona to rather mediocre results.
The Portuguese coach tried to insist to Mendes that Fenerbahçe would be the ideal place for Felix to restart his career. However, it is being heavily reported that the priority of the 24-year-old forward remains to stay at FC Barcelona, the club where he wants to prove himself.
For Hansi Flick and Barcelona, especially president Joan Laporta, Felix’s stay is more than welcome. However, they would need the player to stick to the conditions of the previous loan, one that needs the player to keep his economic demands to a minimum.
Atletico Madrid, led by Diego Simeone, are also aware of their problems with Felix and they may look to facilitate his departure as well.
However, SPORT claims that Mourinho will not be that easy to ward off. The Portuguese coach understands that Felix has other priorities, but in the event that it becomes impossible for Barcelona to retain the Portuguese forward, the legendary manager will look to pounce and have him for himself in Turkey.
