According to Barcelona head coach Xavi, it is “too early” to talk about whether Joao Felix might be acquired during the upcoming summer transfer window on a permanent basis.
Atletico Madrid loaned the 23-year-old to Camp Nou in the closing hours of the summer transfer window.
The Portuguese international, who spent the second half of the previous season on loan at Chelsea, is thought to have made moves to join Manchester United and Liverpool.
The attacker reportedly had substantial interest from Saudi Arabia, but he held out for a “dream move” to Barcelona.
Early on in his Camp Nou debut, Felix has been in excellent form, managing three goals and one assist in three outings across all competitions.
The Portuguese player admitted that he took a “significant” wage cut to transfer to Barcelona, where the team had to come up with creative solutions to their financial issues.
Barcelona may explore moving for Felix on a permanent deal next summer, according to Deco, the club’s new director of football.
The attacker is under contract with Atletico until June 2029, so any switch is likely to be costly.
Due to his apparent tense relationship with Atletico head coach Diego Simeone, Felix’s future at Wanda Metropolitano is uncertain, and he may once more be the subject of rumors next summer.
The forward has received high praise from Xavi for adjusting to club life, but the Barcelona head coach has indicated that speculation over a permanent switch is premature.
He cooperates admirably and has the ability to play another midfielder between the lines. The whole team benefits from it, not just Robert [Lewandowski], remarked Xavi at his press conference on Friday.
It’s too soon to discuss Joao Felix’s signing. Let’s see how things develop; he appears content and is assisting us, much like [Joao] Cancelo. First, we must wait to see how the season develops; hopefully, he keeps going in this direction.
Last weekend, Felix made his complete league debut for Barcelona against Real Betis, scoring once before going on to score twice and assist once more.
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