Romano exclusive: date for latest Chelsea attacker transfer’s medical set | OneFootball

It’s a move that would have been pretty stunning not long ago, but following just over a week of swirling rumours, Joao Felix is on his way to Chelsea.

David Ornstein was the first to get the news of a confirmed move, Tweeting just now that Chelsea “have reached an agreement” for the permanent transfer of the attacking midfielder.

It will be a 6 year deal, with the option of a further year.

Desperate to get in on the action after missing the big scoop, Fabrizio Romano has followed up by saying that the medical is being booked for the next 24 or 48 hours. Really covering your bases there, Fabrizio. Neither of them mentions a fee, but it’s expected to be in the region of the €40m that Atletico are paying Chelsea for Conor Gallagher in the other direction.

Felix will return to Stamford Bridge where he spent the latter half of the 2022/2023 season on loan, with middling results. It’s another floaty attacking midfielder slash winger to try to fit into this bloated squad.

A hard deal to wrap your head around

We’ve been over this deal so many times from so many angles, but it’s still hard to swallow. Atletico are getting Gallagher, one of Chelsea’s best performing players, for a bargain price. Not only that, but Chelsea are using that same money in order to buy Felix, a player the Spanish side are desperate to get rid of.

Somehow, we seem to be getting the short straw on both ends of the deal. As for where this puts our other attackers, we just don’t know. Raheem Sterling couldn’t get into the squad for yesterday’s game against Man City and was public with his unhappiness.

Imagine how he’s going to feel now that yet more competition has been added?