Atletico Madrid expect Joao Felix to stay after loan with FC Barcelona ends

Joao Felix fought hard to sign with FC Barcelona last summer, departing Atletico Madrid upon a temporary basis. He is expected to return to Los Rojiblancos after the end of the season, although his chances of moving back to Catalonia appear limited.

In recent weeks, it has been claimed that Barcelona are unlikely to prioritise a second agreement for Felix in the summer's transfer window, as their primary concerns are elsewhere. Marca has backed this claim, claiming that Atleti officials are not expecting Los Blaugrana to re-sign him, either on loan or permanently.

It puts Atleti in a terrible situation, as Felix is unlikely to be welcomed into Diego Simeone's squad. As a result, the only "salvation" for all parties is the next European Championship in Germany; if the 24-year-old performs well for Portugal, clubs may come calling for him.

It makes sense in every way for Barcelona to decide to pass on from Felix, since he has proven to be unnecessary in Xavi Hernandez's team - especially given the cost of a permanent transfer. Atletico Madrid will hope that other clubs show interest in the following weeks.

Atletico Madrid’s plan with Portugal International Joao Felix

When Atletico spent a record-breaking fee to sign Joao Felix from Benfica in 2019, their initial objective was to build the team around him. However, Felix has struggled to build an image for himself under Diego Simeone, prompting an array of loan spells and a temporary transfer to Barcelona last summer.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Atletico Madrid anticipates a replay of the "Joao Felix soap opera" during the summer. They want to part with the 24-year-old attacker outright and prevent a situation like last year, when the player insisted on an additional loan to Barcelona.

Furthermore, the source contends that the Rojiblancos' only remaining opportunity to repay the money they invested in Felix will be for him to do well at the 2024 Euros. Good displays with Portugal are expected to generate bids from other teams, allowing Atleti to finally collect the transfer fee for Felix, despite rumours stating that his asking price is about €60 million.