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Chelsea sensation Joao Felix has proven to be a gamble that cost the club a hefty £4 million for each goal he delivered, also calculated as a staggering £750,000 per appearance. The young Portuguese prodigy was roped in from Atletico Madrid for an initial loan sum of £9 million, but his performance turned out to be a sobering check on the Blues' financial outlay.
Having just taken up the mantle of the London outfit, Mauricio Pochettino, the new boss at Stamford Bridge, quickly dismissed the idea of inking a permanent contract with Felix. The financial burden was overwhelming: not only did Chelsea cover Felix's transfer fee, but they also took care of his staggering £250,000 weekly Atletico paycheck.
Despite high hopes, Felix's maiden outing took a disastrous turn. He was sent packing in his very first match after a reckless tackle on Fulham's Kenny Tete saw him receive a straight red card. The punishment translated into an immediate financial blow for Chelsea, given the significant investment on a six-month loan arrangement.
When the Blues parted ways with manager Graham Potter at the beginning of April, Felix found himself on the bench more often under interim boss Frank Lampard. During Lampard's 11-match tenure, Felix started only thrice, although he did manage to score once each as a substitute against Bournemouth and Manchester United.
As Felix packs his bags for a return to Madrid following a turbulent London spell, the total cost to Chelsea rings in at a colossal £15 million for just six months, according to Daily Mail. This accounts for the £9 million loan fee and a £6 million wage bill.
Taking a closer look, the club's expenditure can be broken down to £3.75 million per goal and £750,000 per appearance, given his underwhelming tally of four goals in 20 appearances.
Felix's contribution to Chelsea's victory in only four matches also translates into £3.75 million per win. Crunching the numbers further, the Blues shelled out an eye-watering £12,000 for every minute Felix played, tallying up to 1,187 minutes in total.
Chelsea have placed Sporting CP midfielder on their radar, bidding with player-plus-cash deal
In an exclusive scoop from Portugal's Record (via Football London), Chelsea are allegedly preparing an enticing £62 million bid for Sporting CP midfielder Manuel Ugarte. Their bid is complemented with an additional £4 million in performance-related add-ons.
Interestingly, the Blues' proposition includes the possibility of sending their young striking prodigy David Datro Fofana on loan to Sporting CP as part of the enticing package.
Should Sporting not show interest in acquiring Fofana's services, the Blues have an arsenal of other potential player cards to play. Deploying surplus players in transactions to bring in Pochettino's targets could be an ingenious stratagem for Todd Boehly to refine the squad and amplify its quality quotient.
Ugarte possesses a release clause that has sparked interest among Premier League circles, and beyond, with the likes of Paris Saint-Germain joining the fray. However, the Blues are holding their cards close to their chest, fairly confident in securing Ugarte's services this summer.
