Joao Felix and the origins of a talent that never shined

Al Nassr have agreed a deal to sign Joao Felix from Chelsea. Cristiano Ronaldo's side have agreed to pay €30m (£26.2m) up front, with add-ons taking the total deal to €50m, matching the Blues' valuation.

This is Felix's fifth club transfer in the past two and a half years. In early 2023, he moved from Atletico to Chelsea on loan. In the summer of the same year, the Portuguese talent was sent to Barca and played the entire 2023/24 season. When it ended, he was suddenly bought back by Chelsea with a 7-year contract. However, after only the first half of the 2024/25 season, Felix was pushed to Milan.

On the day he joined Milan, advisor Zlatan Ibrahimovic praised Felix as a "magic player" and one who had all the qualities to become a Rossonerri legend. Unfortunately, the magic never came. After 21 appearances and only 3 goals, Felix returned to Chelsea and is now ready for an adventure in the Saudi Pro League.

saveinstato-523872716-18171869020349524-2240375996896942645-n-1286.jpg — Al Nassr have reached an agreement to sign Joao Felix from Chelsea.

In 2019, Felix was hailed as the most valuable player in the world , and Atletico spent 126 million euros to get him, who was not yet 20 years old. 5 years later, because of some strong belief that his talent would be lit, Chelsea spent 52 million euros to own Felix.

Now it's Al Nassr's turn to pay, bringing the Portuguese's total value over three transfers to 208 million euros (excluding add-ons). The player who was once the fourth most expensive player in the world continues to be among the top players with the highest total value.

Four years ago, former midfielder Roy Keane called Felix an "impostor", someone who pretended to be a future superstar but was actually over-hyped. In other words, the talent of the player who was compared to Johan Cruyff never existed. It is true that Felix possesses natural individual skills, can play in many positions and is very intelligent in detecting space and understanding tactics, but he is not to the extent of becoming a football genius. Or at least, worthy of the surreal price tag.

This view is a bit harsh on Felix, but the fact is that Atletico paid Benfica a huge sum in 2019 distorted the market. Felix had only played one full season as a professional and had no clear idea of what kind of player he wanted to be.

Felix should have stayed in Portugal to hone his skills and gain experience. Or if he wanted to leave, join Man City or another team that suited his style of play, things could have gone in a different direction. However, under the guidance of his agent Jorge Mendes, Felix chose Atletico.

At Atletico, Felix’s artful football was the antithesis of Diego Simeone’s rough-hewn football. Felix was an artist, with his feet brimming with emotion. He rejected stereotypes and experimented with the unconventional, with nutmegs, adventurous long balls, unique passes and surprisingly delicate finishes. Perhaps Felix was born too late. He should have belonged in Serie A in the 1990s, alongside Rui Costa, Roberto Mancini, Francesco Totti and Roberto Baggio.

There haven't been many shining moments from Felix in the past six years.

So the artist born at the wrong time never really integrated into Atletico's rigid tactical system. After that, his relationship with Simeone cracked, oscillating between hope and disappointment. Finally, patience was exhausted.

In fact, it is not only Atletico, but also many other clubs that have failed to integrate Felix into their squad. In the era of teams becoming machines, they do not need artists, but expect a strong winger, constantly pressuring and ready to risk a tackle when dropping back to defend.

Felix also did not cope well with the pressure created by the transfer fee and the high salary. This is one of the reasons why his charm, magic and potential were not continuously promoted.

During Atletico's Champions League match against Salzburg in 2020, teammates Saul Niguez and Jan Oblak had a heated conversation about Felix on the way down the tunnel at half-time. Saul swore that "that little bastard, if he wants to, can change the game", and praised Felix as a player who "enjoys the ball". In response, Oblak exclaimed: "God, he's so good".

Felix hasn’t always been good, though. His loan spell at Barca, his admitted dream club, has seen him produce some impressive moments. But it hasn’t been enough to convince the Catalan club to overcome their financial problems and sign him on a permanent deal.

There are still those who believe Felix will reach the heights expected of him, however. Ronaldo, for example, has undoubtedly played a key role in bringing him to Al Nassr. The 40-year-old probably thinks Felix will be able to be himself in a low-pressure, low-intensity environment that allows space for the artist.

Hope Ronaldo is right.