Chelsea appear set to secure the loan of Joao Felix from Atletico Madrid, but some have wondered about the intentions of Los Colchoneros. One of the conditions of the loan is that he extends his contract with Atleti by an extra year.
It was reported that it might be a stop-gap solution, as Diego Simeone prepares to leave the Metropolitano in the summer, but that report has not been followed by others.
Alternatively, some theorise that by extending his contract by a year, it allows Atletico to amortise the transfer over an extra year, spreading the cost for their accounts.
Speaking to Caught Offside in his exclusive Substack column, Fabrizio Romano has explained that it is more of an insurance policy.
“They extended Joao Felix deal to protect the club, it’s absolutely normal and it always happens when big players move on loan to give guarantees to the club. I don’t know now about chances of him going back there, now all parties hope for Joao to succeed at Chelsea.”
Felix’s deal runs until 2026, and if Atleti do extend the deal, they will have another four years remaining on his contract. If they do intend to sell him, it will only further strengthen their negotiating position.