Manager Diego Simeone of Atletico Madrid has updated the transfer rumours surrounding Joao Felix. He is a highly sought-after attacker from Portugal who has been linked to both Chelsea and Arsenal.
On Thursday, Felix scored a goal in Atletico’s 2-0 La Liga victory against Elche. After the game, Atletico’s Argentine manager stated (via Fabrizio Romano):
According to the same Italian journalist, Felix’s agent Jorge Mendes is still in touch with Premier League teams like Arsenal and Chelsea, which raises the prospect of a transfer.
After Armando Broja suffered an ACL tear in a friendly against Aston Villa earlier this month, Chelsea will need to bolster their offensive unit. This injury will likely keep the striker out for the remainder of the 2022–23 campaign.
Will Joao Felix go to Arsenal or Manchester United?
Also having trouble finding the back of the net this season is Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who has scored only once.
However, Arsenal’s offensive unit took a major hit when Gabriel Jesus injured his knee while playing for Brazil in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The timetable for the ex-Manchester City forward’s comeback is still up in the air.
Mikel Arteta, the Gunners’ manager, has been compelled to explore alternative possibilities as a result. The Spaniard has confirmed that the club will be actively seeking to strengthen its roster during the forthcoming winter transfer window (via BBC).
Eddie Nketiah, a product of Arsenal’s youth system, scored a goal in a 3-1 win over West Ham United last week. So Arteta is having some success with young players. As for the young English striker, the Gunners manager said he has trust in him to step up and produce in Jesus’ absence (via the Daily Mail).
Manchester United is looking to add a striker next month. But they have few choices to choose from. United invested a record amount of money last summer to support Erik ten Hag. Club officials have often said that they are farther along in their reconstruction than they expected at this time.
Joao Felix goal v ELCHE lastnight.. pic.twitter.com/jzO3TLNZ0d
— Ａｒｓｅｎａｌｆａｍｚ® (@ALEXY00_) December 30, 2022
In light of Cristiano Ronaldo’s shattered goodbye, the club has shifted its position and is now actively seeking a replacement for the departing forward.
Because of United’s limited resources and the knowledge that the selling side may increase their asking price in January, it is safe to assume that the club will seek players in the bracket of those most in need of playing time.
Manchester United is also in a need for strikers
This indicates that the club is not actively seeking to sign a forward on a permanent basis during the current transfer window, but rather is focusing on loan alternatives.
Possible departures include Memphis Depay, whose contract with Barcelona is about to expire, and Joao Felix, who has clashed with Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone and wants to leave the club.
This implies that United may look at both short-term fixes and individuals who don’t quite suit their ideal profile for a striker. Although this season has been Ten Hag’s finest with Anthony Martial’s mobility in the centre, there is a growing belief that in the long run, he would like to have a physically capable option to draw upon in his front three.
Given that Felix has never flourished as a primary striker and would have to be shoehorned into the United attack, this is of special relevance in terms of a transfer for Felix.
You need only consult Felix himself to learn everything there is to know about the sort of player he is. He is a young player who has always looked up to playmakers in the midfield rather than goal-scorers.
