Pochettino Opts Against Signing Felix Permanently For Chelsea
New Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has decided not to pursue a permanent deal for Joao Felix.
Felix joined Chelsea on loan from Atletico Madrid in the January transfer window on a six-month contract when Graham Potter was still in charge.
The 23-year-old scored four goals in 20 appearances for the Blues and expressed an interest in remaining at Stamford Bridge beyond the end of his deal.
Chelsea did not include an option to buy Felix permanently in his short term contract but they held discussions with Atletico Madrid to try and strike a deal to keep him for good.
But new Chelsea boss Pochettino does not see Felix as part of his plans and Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo has revealed that the Portugal international will be returning to the Wanda Metropolitano.
Cerezo told Spanish outlet AS: 'Yesterday we had the news that the new Chelsea manager (Pochettino) does not (want) João Félix.
'We've known for less than 24 hours. He'll come back here and we'll see. We don't have anything planned.'
Atletico made Felix the fifth most expensive signing in history when poaching him as a 19-year-old from Benfica in the summer of 2019 for £112m.
