Chelsea star's agent ready to hold crunch talks as player wants to leave

Chelsea attacker Joao Felix is reportedly keen on a move away from the club. According to Portuguese outlet A Bola, the player's agent, Jorge Mendes, is set to meet Blues co-owner Behdad Eghbali to begin negotiations.

Currently, a return to Benfica is on the cards for the Portugal international. He joined the London side from Atletico Madrid just last season for a reported fee of €52 million. He struggled to impress in the first half of the campaign before moving on loan to AC Milan in the January transfer window.

In 20 appearances for Chelsea across competitions last season, he scored seven and assisted one goal, before scoring three goals for AC Milan.

Chelsea are keen on finding a permanent exit for Felix instead of another temporary loan move. Valued at €40 million by the Blues, the report claims that Benfica want only 50% of the 25-year-old's rights and may need to pay over €20 million. Further, he might also have to reduce his wage demands to facilitate the move.

The Blues have already been active in the transfer market, bringing in Joao Pedro, Jamie Gittens and Liam Delap. They will look to offset their spending by continuing to sell players, adding to the departures of Noni Madueke and Djordje Petrovic.

Chelsea star reacts to bizarre moment as Donald Trump remains on stage during Club World Cup trophy ceremony

Palmer expressed confusion over the incident.

Chelsea star Cole Palmer admitted that he was confused over Donald Trump's presence on the stage during the handover of the Club World Cup trophy. Eyebrows were raised throughout the football community as the American president remained at the forefront as the Blues lifted the trophy.

Palmer said (via the BBC):

"I knew he was going to be here but I didn't know he was going to be on the stand when we lifted the trophy. I was a bit confused, yes."

It was a result that few expected on the night as Enzo Maresca's side romped home over Paris Saint-Germain. Entering the game, the Champions League winners were expected to be dominant, but it was the Londoners who stole the show.

Three goals in the first half, including two goals from Palmer and another from Joao Pedro, saw them completely outplay their French opponents. Chelsea have now become the inaugural winners of the new format of the Club World Cup, adding to their UEFA Conference League win last month.

About the author

Vishal has been a European football journalist at Sportskeeda since the past 18 months, covering news and rumors. A firm believer in providing the most accurate information to readers, he prioritizes conducting thorough research before writing a story, and his overall feel for the game, combined with his ability to express thoughts and opinions in a succinct manner set him apart from other journalists.

Ever since coming across a game randomly on TV in 2012, Vishal has been a passionate fan of the sport. Growing up, he loved Chelsea’s style of play and adored Eden Hazard and Jose Mourinho. His favorite footballing moment was when the Blues won the 2021 UEFA Champions League. If given a chance to change any football rule, Vishal would want VAR to be more consistent for the offside rule and its decisioning to be quicker.

Apart from European football, Vishal also likes to keep up to date with Major League Soccer and the Indian Super League. When not immersed in football, he likes to watch other sports and strum the guitar.

Know More