Joao Felix rejoins Chelsea on a long-term deal

Chelsea Football Club have confirmed the return of Joao Felix to Stamford Bridge from Atletico Madrid on a permanent deal.

The Portuguese international is being unveiled as a Chelsea player for the second time after spending time on loan with the Premier League side during the 2022-23 season. Joao Felix signed a six-year deal upon his return to Stamford Bridge with the option for one more, the fee is said to be in the region of £45.5 million.

Chelsea confirmed the signing of Joao Felix just minutes after the departure of Conor Gallagher to Atletico, whose move initially stalled after the collapse of Samu Omorodion's switch between both clubs.

What did Joao Felix say about his return to Chelsea?

"It’s a chance for me to find a home. After two loans, Chelsea and Barca, I needed to stay permanently in one place. There is no better place for me to be than Chelsea. I see a perfect place to shine. It was a little bit of a lot of things that made me want to come back: the project, the club, the league, the fans, the time I spent here that I loved. I felt really good when I was here, despite the results we had. I’m really happy to be back. I’ve developed as a player in a lot of ways: the perception of the game, and the spaces the ball can arrive easily where I can make more impact. I try to figure it out by watching some videos of me of my games. I’ve kind of changed since I was last here. I am 24 now. I’ll be 25 in November. I feel like I grew up as a player. That’s normal with age. I’m more prepared for the Premier League. I feel like my best years are ahead of me. I do not doubt that. The best years are still to come. And this year is going to be a good year, because now I am permanently at home, and I can enjoy home."

Felix is the tenth player that will be joining Chelsea this 2024 summer transfer window which has been a major concern for most of the club supporters due to the number of players in the team and how easy it for Enzo Maresca to manage them.