According to information from Goal and SOCCERSCORE, Spanish runner-up Atletico Madrid is on the verge of hiring storm talent Joao Felix. The young attacker will replace Portugal’s record champions Benfica Lisbon for 120 million euros, making him the most expensive player in Atleti’s club history. The last details will be clarified and then the deal will be officially announced soon. This ends a tough poker match for one of the most coveted players in Europe.
Atletico, who are looking for a successor to change-willing Antoine Griezmann, started his intense bid for Felix in the Champions League final between Liverpool and Tottenham at Wanda Metropolitano almost three weeks ago.
Managing Director Miguel Angel Gil Marin spoke for the first time with Benfica President Luis Felipe Vieira about a possible transfer on the fringes of the meeting and then also met Felix himself for the first time.
By that time, the battle for Felix had long since begun: Benfica had already rejected an offer of 60 million euros from the Italian record champion Juventus and insisted on Felix’s fixed redemption of 120 million euros from those responsible for FC Barcelona. The Catalans thus bid farewell to the competition.
Real Madrid offered 80 million euros fixed and the prospect of a direct loan of the player back to Benfica for the coming season. The club bosses in Lisbon liked this offer. However, they feared critical reactions of the fans to this “low” transfer fee and finally rejected it.
The player’s yes was ultimately determined by a phone call to Madrid coach Diego Simeone, who convinced him to leave Benfica despite a 2023 contract and become Atleti’s new striker.
