Official: Joao Felix signs for Chelsea on a permanent deal

[My Blood Is Blue]

Joao, an established forward for the Portugal national team, has signed a seven-year contract at Stamford Bridge and will join up with his new teammates for training in the coming days.

‘I’m really happy to be back at Chelsea and I can’t wait to get started,’ Joao said. ‘I can see some familiar faces from the last time I was here, which is always nice.

‘I loved my time here before and I told my friends and family that I’d love to return to the Premier League one day. To do that with Chelsea is a great feeling and I’m excited to be back.’

https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/article/joao-felix-is-a-chelsea-player

[My Blood Is Blue]

I know some were underwhelmed by Felix when he was here last time and I wasn't exactly delighted with all his performances, he did at times show the talent that he has and I do think, if he can settle and find his form then we do have a genuinely quality player. Quite a big if in there, but I am quite excited by the potential of this signing. I wanted us to get some players with experience and whilst he is only 24, he has 41 Portugal caps and 238 appearances across the Primeira Liga, La Liga and Premier League for Benfica, Atletico, Chelsea and Barcelona... it's not a bad CV!

[Thiago97]

I actually think he will do alright for us. He is a talented player for sure.

The problem is he is not a game changer, just another body in an area of the pitch where we have plenty of options already. I don't see that he offers anything different to what we already have. 

That's before you get into the potential mechanics of the deal that has brought him here.

I'd be intrigued to know what he is earning too. He must be coming in on the higher end of the new wage scale structure at 120k week type deal, but you would also think he was probably on something similar to that at Madrid........I really hope he is not being seen as the game changer type signing beyond these figure that the club has suggested it will offer for the right player! You would hope not, but I just wouldn't put anything past this lot. 

[Mark Kelly]

I like him so I'm happy , he has his qualities , qualities that can help us score goals and is another player for the opposition to worry about 

[chiswickblue]

I think this is a new low for the club - signing a player that has already shown he isn't suited to PL football, who was on loan at Barcelona last season and didn't perform and Atletico have been trying to get rid of him for several years.

We've ended up signing him "in an unrelated transaction" so that one of last year's key players could be sold to the other club, and also to maintain the relationship with his agent, who also happens to be the agent of another player we signed about 10 days ago. The same agent may also be helping the owners buy a club in Portugal.

This is nothing to do with football. If he has a position on the pitch it's at no.10, where we already have Nkunku and Palmer as primary options. He isn't suited to the left-wing (no workrate) or up front (no strength).

I'll be happy to be proved wrong, but I think this is a disastrous move and a clear sign of where we are as a club.

[My Blood Is Blue]

If we continue to play 4231, then this gives us the following for the 3 (Enzo is not a 10!):

Palmer/ Madueke - Nkunku/Felix/Chukwuemeka - Neto/Mudryk

I think that's pretty decent squad building if you can ignore the way it's been happening.

Mudryk has a fair question mark against him, but the other 6 are good enough, IMO. If we can get another striker in, then I think we'll have a really strong squad in an attacking sense.

[paulw66]

6 minutes ago, My Blood Is Blue said:

If we continue to play 4231, then this gives us the following for the 3 (Enzo is not a 10!):

Palmer/ Madueke - Nkunku/Felix/Chukwuemeka - Neto/Mudryk

I think that's pretty decent squad building if you can ignore the way it's been happening.

Mudryk has a fair question mark against him, but the other 6 are good enough, IMO. If we can get another striker in, then I think we'll have a really strong squad in an attacking sense.

Got jettison Sterling too. Maresca also hinted at a loan for Chuk a few days ago. 

[xceleryx]

26 minutes ago, Thiago97 said:

I'd be intrigued to know what he is earning too. He must be coming in on the higher end of the new wage scale structure at 120k week type deal, but you would also think he was probably on something similar to that at Madrid.

IIRC he was on around €280k prior to his loan to Barca last season, in which he took a massive pay cut to make happen. However, it appeared it was only a temporary thing with his wages reported to raise by 10x during the season when Barca's finances improved. 

Either way, if he's taken £120k that would be a huge coupe in the grand scheme of things. Will be curious myself as to just how much he's given up to make this move happen.

[My Blood Is Blue]

25 minutes ago, paulw66 said:

Got jettison Sterling too. Maresca also hinted at a loan for Chuk a few days ago. 

Yeah, a loan for Chuk wouldn’t be the worst thing TBH, give him a chance to get a full season under his belt after all the stop/start he’s had. I just hope we don’t sell him.

[Thiago97]

6 minutes ago, My Blood Is Blue said:

Yeah, a loan for Chuk wouldn’t be the worst thing TBH, give him a chance to get a full season under his belt after all the stop/start he’s had. I just hope we don’t sell him.

They will sell him. I would go as far as say he is finished here. Which is just ridiculous really.

[Thiago97]

16 minutes ago, xceleryx said:

IIRC he was on around €280k prior to his loan to Barca last season, in which he took a massive pay cut to make happen. However, it appeared it was only a temporary thing with his wages reported to raise by 10x during the season when Barca's finances improved. 

Either way, if he's taken £120k that would be a huge coupe in the grand scheme of things. Will be curious myself as to just how much he's given up to make this move happen.

Let's hope he has taken a huge cut, cos if they are paying him close to that previous salary, whilst clearly not investing that salary into key other areas of the pitch.....well they really have lost all grip on the football club from a playing perspective!

[Proud-Blue]

Welcome Felix!

While he's not a signing I would have made, I do think he could be quite a useful squad player given his versatility. I'm not sure he'll be starting too much for us, but maybe he'll surprise.

Fingers crossed he outperforms expectations.

 

[jasonb]

Strange signing for me, although technically gifted he rarely wins you a match.

Think this makes it more likley Sterling will be leaving. 

 

[Blue Kratos]

Joao Felix makes a vow to make chelsea his home.

To me that means: "I promise to be more useless and anonymous and most importantly infuriating as ever before because that's the level of commitment I have to this club."

😆😆😆

Edited August 21 by Blue Kratos

[johnnybozo]

Great signing. In fact this summer has been alright. Neto and Felix straight up make the team better. Just need to get rid of dead wood like pigeon boy, fatty and the other bag carriers and bring a striker in and it's not so bad. 

[martin1905]

I like him, always have and don't think he was that bad when he was here last. Certainly showd flashes of his undoubted talent.

I think it is worth taking into account how poor the whole team was when he was here, it  was shambolic. To put his goals into some sort of perspective he was our top scorer in the time he was here with 4 goals in 11 starts, which isn't horrible, would work out to be 14 goals across a whole season, pro rata,  and he's never been an out and out goalscorer. 

I do think we suit him, playing a possession based game with other technical players alongside him. His link up play has always stood out and I'm excited to see him play with Nkunku,  Palmer, Neto, Caicedo,  Lavia, Enzo and Jackosn.

I just hope he isn't seen as the Striker we've been trying to get.

[kev61]

I must say i liked him when he was here.He seemed a very good link up player,good control,moved the ball quickly and had an eye for goal.

Would I swap him for Enzo?(yes I know they are completely different players)I wouldn't even need a heartbeat.

[NoblyBobly]

I’m a bit surprised at the great animosity towards this player  ( when it was just a discussion point). 
Im sure he has certain limitations but he’s a classy player, the sort of player that can get you off your seat with an amazing bit of skill. We haven’t got many of those, so I’m excited about his transfer. 
We have a long season ahead. We always seem to have long cup runs ( normally failing at final hurdle grated) and we are in a European competition which one would hope we go far in. Palmer will not play every game and could always get an injury. Same with Neto. 
Who else have we got creatively to open up a defence with a great ball or piece of skill? Enzo??

Personally I like a bit of champagne football rather than a team full of fit robots. I’m trying to find past comparisons. He’s a bit in the mould of Zola ( without all the genius) but also similar to Mickey Hazard who I really liked. Also showing my age , Mike Fillery. Not forwards, wingers or wide players those two but the kind of player who can draw criticism for appearing  lazy… but ….can put a foot on a ball, look around for what’s on , find a forward ( assuming we find one)  or just do that thing called “going past someone “.  Oh and score a goal! 

Time will tell on this one, but with Palmer Neto and Felix we have proper creativity in the side and  another player who can score a goal. Well done owners ( there, I said it). 

 

Edited August 22 by NoblyBobly

[Michael Tucker]

2 hours ago, kev61 said:

I must say i liked him when he was here.He seemed a very good link up player,good control,moved the ball quickly and had an eye for goal.

This.