Chelsea forward Joao Felix has only been at Chelsea a month, but as the summer draws ever closer, the speculation over his future will only grow. The reality is, even Felix sounds like he does not know where he will be in September.
Felix joined Chelsea on loan in January after three and-a-half years at Atletico Madrid, without ever managing to settle for an entire season. Speaking to Diario AS, Felix explained that he had no idea if he would be staying in London beyond the summer.
“They don’t have a buy option. They would have to reach an agreement with Atletico. I have only been here a few weeks, a month. I am getting to know everything. I am enjoying myself, but nobody knows the future.”
Felix admitted earlier in tlhe interview that he had wanted to change clubs for a while. Given his comments on Diego Simeone and his style, it isn’t hard to read between the lines and anticipate that if the Argentine stays at the Civitas Metropolitano, it will have potentially decisive impact on his decisions in the summer.
However his relationship with CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin continues to work well.
“In contrast to many, Miguel has always placed a lot of confidence in me, he has always offered me a helping hand. I have a good relationship with him. I’m grateful to him for allowing me to leave because I needed it, I wasn’t doing well. Miguel has always believed in me and I think he continues to believe in me. He sees me as a hope for Atletico, but we shall see.”
Asked if he thought Simeone might depart Atletico Madrid at the end of the season, Felix was non-committal.
“I don’t know. Every year they speak about him going, but he never goes. So I don’t believe what they are saying anymore. If he stays, very good; if he goes, all the happiness in the world for him, I hope it goes well. Only in June will we know what will happen.”
If there were hints that the relationship between star player and star manager was not a beneficial one, Felix all but confirms it here, while maintaining a degree of plausible deniability. While question marks hang over both of their futures this summer, it does seem clear that both are unlikely to be there next year.
Image via Andrew Matthews/Press Association Image
