The Evening Standard has revealed that Chelsea have been offered the chance to sign Atletico Madrid striker Joao Felix this January but Man Utd are also interested.
It is understood that Chelsea were offered the chance to sign Felix for £86 million before Broja sustained a season-ending injury. The Portugal international’s fallout with Diego Simeone, however, means that he could be available on a loan deal with an option to buy next summer.
According to the report, any temporary move will require a significant fee to be paid upfront. Atleti want to recover much of the £113 million they spent on Felix when they signed him in 2019.
Aston Villa have also been linked with Felix while Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leeds United are concerned that Chelsea could hijack their potential move for Matheus Cunha, who is also said to have been offered to the club.
The Blues have been handed the chance to sign Felix and Cunha this winter and they must now decide whether to go for a new striker next month.
Armando Broja suffered an injury setback that saw him rupture his ACL in a friendly against Aston Villa in Abu Dhabi. His injury could potentially keep him out of action for 12 months, though the exact prognosis is unknown.
Replacement
Graham Potter currently has only Kai Havertz and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as the options to lead his line and the duo have suffered with inconsistent form this term. Therefore, the West London club could look to bring in a new forward in January, with Borussia Dortmund striker Youssoufa Moukoko and Barcelona forward Memphis Depay believed to be other options. Both Moukoko and Depay are said to be in the final years of their respective deals and could be available this winter, though Dortmund are said to be looking to tie down Moukoko to a new long-term deal.
Chelsea recently managed to secure the signing RB Leipzig forward Christopher Nkunku – although an official confirmation has not yet been released. The Frenchman is believed to have cost the club close to £53 million and he will join next summer. Therefore, the source understands that Nkunku’s potential arrival next summer could complicate Chelsea’s striker hunt this winter.
Signing Felix on a short-term loan could be the best solution for Chelsea. However, tivals Manchester United are in the market for a striker, having lost Cristiano Ronaldo, and are also said to be interested in Felix. The Evening Standard says United are ready to rival any bid for the Atletico attacker.
Recent reports from Sky Sports also suggest that Cristiano Ronaldo could be set for an instant Premier League comeback, with the West Londoners said to be considering him as one of their options.
