adminThe Conor Gallagher transfer saga from Chelsea to Atlético Madrid is nearing completion, and its events have unfolded in the most unexpected way. The London club, instead of buying 20-year-old Spanish striker Samu Omorodion, will purchase another young footballer. The Spanish team needed funds from the transfer in the opposite direction, so both sides focused on another deal and found a way out. Portuguese Joao Félix signs a contract with Chelsea for 44.5 million pounds without bonuses and will soon be able to make his debut in a new team, while Conor Gallagher transfer is also safe now. So why did the Blues buy this striker and how will they use him?
Unfinished Business in London
The Stamford Bridge lawn as a home stadium will not be a novelty for the Portuguese: in the 22/23 season, he was here on loan for six months. During this period, the versatile striker played 24 matches for Chelsea, scored 4 goals and made the local fans fall in love with him – they even composed a chant. However, according to various information, the lease was considered unsuccessful and the transfer was decided not to be finalised, so the player returned to Atlético Madrid.
Now, according to information from the player’s camp, he has agreed to a significant salary reduction to move to the London club. He is also captivated by the attitude of the fans and the project, so you can believe in the long-term success of this relationship. Any football fan would be pleased to try to predict his future results, but remember to do it responsibly and thoroughly read the reviews of the bookmakers, and then go through .
A Moody Player
Despite his young age, 24 years old, and talent that is not in doubt, Joao Félix is hardly a gift for a coach. The Portuguese is incredible when he is in the mood and all the partners have a good game. However, if the team loses or the others do not have an ideal interaction with this attacker, then he may disappear from the game or get upset. An imperfect mood of a player leads to a decrease in his efficiency on the field and, as a result, it doesn’t make sense to use such a player. Joao Félix last coach, Diego Simeone, has been trying for a long time to find an approach to the Portuguese, the best position on the field for him in order to make the best use of all his strengths, like dribbling and creativity, and to cover up his weakness – unwillingness to return to defense when losing the ball. However, he failed and Atlético Madrid will have to part with such talent.
Chelsea’s Dilemma is a Problem for Maresca to Solve
With the arrival of Joao Félix, the competition for attacking positions at Chelsea is intensifying, as there are already quite a lot of players in the main positions that he can cover. The Portuguese mainly attacks as a second striker, but can be both a left winger and a centre-forward if needed.
The left wing is currently occupied by:
- Mikhailo Mudrik, whose future is becoming even more uncertain with this transfer
- Raheem Sterling, who can leave Chelsea only if he receives a good offer – for example, from Saudi Arabia
- Pedro Neto, a new acquisition from Wolverhampton, who clearly came with a plan to play in the main squad
The second striker place is also packed with enough talent in the face of Christopher Nkunku, Enzo Fernandez and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who just arrived and scored a lot of goals in Enzo Maresca’s Leicester last season. Also, Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson are versatile enough to play in both positions.
Is There a Future in London for Félix?
The Portuguese’s transfer is a very risky investment for Chelsea, as his loan to Barcelona showed. However, if Joao Félix implements at least half of his talent at the London club, then he will not only become a legendary player at a level close to Eden Hazard, but also help the whole project return to the winning path. However, only time will tell whether the coach, the player and the team as a whole will succeed.
Online Reporter