Joao Felix to Barcelona or Saudi Arabia? Fabrizio Romano's latest

Stuart Telford

• 25 Aug 2023 17:29 BST
• 3 min read

Joao Felix has admitted that joining Barcelona would be "a dream come true," but a transfer is yet to materialise as Saudi Pro League sides hover.

It is clear that Felix no longer has a future at Atletico Madrid.

The second-most expensive teenager of all-time after Kylian Mbappe was left out of last Sunday's trip to Real Betis and Antoine Griezmann has taken his No.7 jersey at the Estadio Metroplitano.

The Portuguese - who cost Atletico €126 million from Benfica in 2019 - recently told Romano that "Barcelona has always been my first choice and I'd love to play for Barca," but the Blaugrana can't get close to his €46m ETV given their current financial plight.

READ: From €120m, to unwanted - what happened to Joao Felix?

Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal have both been credited with an interest, but it appears that Felix is digging his heels in.

'Barcelona is his priority'

"There are new approaches, from Saudi, for Joao Felix, in the last 24 hours," Romano said on his official YouTube channel. "[But] now what I'm hearing is that Joao Felix is still waiting for Barcelona, and will wait for Barcelona. Then if Barca can't make a deal, [he] will consider other opportunities.

"He wants to wait until end of European transfer window; Barcelona is his big dream, his priority."

READ: Revealed: How Barcelona can afford to sign Joao Felix

How Barca might fund such a transfer remains to be seen. The club have admitted to their admiration of the player but were told by La Liga last season to reduce their debts by €200m if they wanted to defend their title this.

Their debt has been restructured rather than wiped out, although they have raised nearly €100m this summer in selling the likes of Ousmane Dembele and Franck Kessie, but a loan, akin to Felix's to Chelsea last season, might be the most likely option.

Chelsea decided against making that move - which they paid €11m for - permanent, with new manager Mauricio Pochettino preferring the now-injured Christopher Nkunku in the position.