Portuguese star Joao Felix saw his stock fall again last year after a strong start to the season saw him benched from January onwards. The 24-year-old was not to Xavi Hernandez’s taste, but Hansi Flick has reportedly backed himself to be the first of his six managers since leaving Benfica to get the form out of him that earned a €127m move to Atletico Madrid.
According to Sport, Flick agrees with Sporting Director Deco that Felix can finally show his quality for Barcelona next season, and will back Felix, feeling it to be an important factor in doing so. Meanwhile Felix himself will demand that he return to Barcelona, rejecting all other offers. Felix has turned down a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabia, and the chance to return to Benfica on loan in order to return to Barcelona.
Supposedly the Barcelona hierarchy feel Xavi did not take advantage of his talents, and with little other choice than holding onto to him, Atletico will accept a new loan, with the clubs already having reached an agreement on that. The Blaugrana will not have an option to buy, and are working on the economic conditions to make the deal work between the two clubs. Diego Simeone is simply happy to get rid of Felix again next year, and Felix has the club’s permission to train alone in hope of sealing the move, instead of starting preseason with Atletico.
Felix is clearly talented, but where Barcelona’s faith in him seems to come from is their links to his agent, who few deny has a strong influence at Barcelona. Performances against Atletico Madrid and Porto last season show that he can have an impact, but with so many systems and managers being used around him, unless Felix himself changes, then he will again be in the same situation as he has been for the last three summers.
