Joao Felix and the price for the dream of returning

There are quiet farewells, and there are also journeys of return filled with aspirations but held back by harsh reality. Felix is living in such a paradox: he wants to leave Chelsea to return to the place that brought him to light - Benfica - but the biggest obstacle does not come from professional matters, but from... his own exorbitant salary.

Once considered the "golden boy" of Portuguese football, Felix left Benfica in 2019 for a record fee of nearly 130 million euros, moving to Atletico Madrid as a statement of ambition. But since then, he has never really lived up to expectations. Ups and downs in La Liga, then continuing to fade in Chelsea's shirt and even AC Milan's on loan, Felix has gradually become one of the typical examples of the phrase "talent that doesn't grow up fast enough".

Now, at 25 – still young enough to start over, but old enough to know that time waits for no one – Felix wants to return to Lisbon, where all his aspirations began. Benfica are ready to welcome him with open arms. His old coach Bruno Lage, who also helped him to excel in the past, is now leading the team and has publicly supported this reunion. But professional football is not a fairy tale.

“We need two things: the will and the ability,” Bruno Lage said cryptically after the 2-2 draw with Boca Juniors at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™. “Felix wants to come back, Benfica is open. But between the will and the reality there is a huge financial gap.”

Indeed, the biggest obstacle is the salary. Felix currently earns £8.84 million a year at Chelsea (equivalent to more than €10.5 million). That figure is far beyond the financial limits of Benfica - a club with a rich tradition but cannot spend lavishly like the big European clubs. Keeping Di María last season was already a big effort, and for Felix, things will be much more difficult.

Bruno Lage himself did not hesitate to suggest that his former student "make financial sacrifices" if he really wanted to return. This statement was not just advice, but a clear message: Benfica is ready for a reunion hug, but not at any cost. Felix needs to take the initiative, with a commitment not only on the field but also on... the paycheck.

The question is: Does Felix dare to gamble to start over? Is he willing to give up a high salary in the Premier League to find his own value in the red shirt of Benfica - where he once surprised the whole of Europe?

Felix’s story is reminiscent of a harsh reality in modern football: money is always the biggest obstacle to “beautiful dreams”. It is not uncommon for players to lose their form but cannot reunite with their old team because of high salaries - the result of contracts “beyond their ability”.

In theory, Felix is still an attractive name, a player with special qualities. But reality has proven: talent alone is not enough. When the trust of big clubs fades, and wages become a burden rather than a guarantee, players like Felix have only one way: voluntarily step back to find opportunities to move up.

If Felix is truly serious about his desire to return home, he will have to act – not just with words, but with concrete actions, starting with accepting a suitable salary. Because sometimes, to write a new, brighter chapter, one must know how to close the old page with humility.

Meanwhile, Benfica are also preparing for a major transition period, with Ange Di María set to return to Rosario Central after the FIFA Club World Cup. Bruno Lage was left feeling sorry for his veteran player, who helped the team come back from a goal down against Boca Juniors with a goal and a brilliant performance. A star is leaving - and can a former star return?

Benfica will not wait forever. The door is open, but not forever. And Joao Felix - if he really wants to do it again - needs to walk through it with his own two feet.

Source: https://znews.vn/joao-felix-va-cai-gia-cho-giac-mo-tro-ve-post1561764.html