Atletico Madrid Manager Diego Simeone has redirected questions on Joao Felix’s future to the player himself.
On the face of it, it appears Felix is destined to leave Atletico as soon as a suitable destination can be found. Simeone and Felix did not appear to see eye-to-eye last season, with the former dropping him for a run of seven games, and the latter then proclaiming he needed his loan move to Chelsea.
Simeone was asked about Felix and his future during an interview with Diario AS.
“The big focus is the team. It is normal that in the press the focus is on whether he stays or leaves. I already said that there is no-one more important than the club, with no exceptions. It’s impossible to be clearer than that.”
Then he was asked why Felix had not hit the heights so many saw for him.
“He has his playing characteristics, he has given his all, he has made an effort to work well with what he has, and what we demanded of him. I cannot have any complaints about his effort because he has given what he could give.”
🎙️| Diego Simeone: “Kylian Mbappé to Real Madrid? I would love it, it would be extraordinary for La Liga to continue being one of the best leagues. It is certain that if it's not this year, we'll face him next year.” @diarioas pic.twitter.com/ZmGZRy8mvo
— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) August 1, 2023
And whether he could eventually be successful at Atletico Madrid.
“He has extraordinary ability, we have talked about it a billion times. You see him and he has a good header, a good shot with the left, with the right, good spin, one on one… When [will he triumph]? It’s not up to me, ask him and his representative.”
Felix left little doubt about his feelings on where he would rather be playing when he stated that he ‘dreamed’ of playing for Barcelona, and that they were always his first choice. Simeone said he was the wrong person to be asking.
“It’s question they asked him, he answered with what he feels and what he thinks, and I think it’s great. Ask him and his representative about his decision to give an answer, the reason why he did it.”
“I’ll repeat, there’s nobody more important than the club.”
With Barcelona unable or unwilling to commit the necessary resources to sign Felix this summer, it is not clear exactly where he will end up. The Portuguese has shown flashes of talent, but it is no longer a given that top clubs would take a chance on him following a disappointing spell at Chelsea.
