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Barcelona are looking to sign Atletico Madrid attacker Joao Felix as the Portuguese is reportedly looking to leave the Wanda Metropolitano.
The Blaugrana look light in the attacking department as injuries have not helped their cause this season. It is likely new manager Xavi Hernandez will be given some funds to sign new players and stamp his authority on the squad.
Felix moved to Atletico Madrid for a club-record fee of €126 million in 2019, and he was expected to become a world beater at Wanda Metropolitano.
However, Felix hasn’t quite been able to live up to his true potential. Many believe his abilities are being stifled in a more reactive setup under Diego Simeone.
The 22-year old has played eight times in La Liga this season, scoring just one goal in the process. Injuries have been disruptive once again as Felix missed the opening few games of the season due to an ankle injury.
He recently suffered another disruptive muscle injury and only just returned against Mallorca last Saturday as Atletico lost 2-1.
Despite his injury troubles, Barcelona are keen on him as per El Nacional. The report claims Felix has informed Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo of his desire to leave the club.
Felix would be a good fit under Xavi at Barcelona
Joao Felix is a top young player and is easy on the eye at his best. However, to see the best of his abilities, he needs to be used in a more proactive setup.
Xavi is trying to implement a more attacking blueprint at Barcelona, and a player like Felix would fit right in. While possession is a key aspect of the style, breaking down teams will need some flair and Felix has plenty of that.
With talented players like Frenkie de Jong, Gavi and Ansu Fati around him, Felix could perhaps become the star of the show at Barcelona.
While Atletico Madrid will try to recoup as much as they can for their club-record signing, Barcelona’s financial troubles are no secret. So it remains to be seen how far Barcelona will go to sign Felix, who is likely to cost a lot of money.
