Chelsea confirm Joao Felix signing on permanent transfer

Chelsea have announced the signing of Joao Felix from Atletico Madrid, with the Portugal international signing a seven-year contract.

The 24-year-old forward spent the second half of the 2022/23 season on loan with the Blues, scoring four goals in 20 appearances in all competitions before joining Barcelona on another temporary deal the following campaign.

He joins Omari Kellyman, Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Guiu, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Renato Viega, Caleb Wiley and Pedro Neto as new arrivals at Stamford Bridge this summer.

The Athletic report the fee is worth approximately £44.5m, with Atleti securing a sell-on clause.

He told Chelsea's website: "I'm really happy to be back at Chelsea and I can't wait to get started. I can see some familiar faces from the last time I was here, which is always nice.

"I loved my time here before and I told my friends and family that I'd love to return to the Premier League one day. To do that with Chelsea is a great feeling and I'm excited to be back."

Felix signed for Atleti in 2019 for a mammoth €126m (£113m) - the fourth-highest transfer fee ever - but didn't come close to repaying that outlay with only 34 goals in 131 appearances. He managed ten goals for Barca last season, having falling out with former manager Diego Simeone.

Champions League qualifiers Aston Villa had previously been keen on a deal, with manager Unai Emery an admirer of the former Benfica prodigy.

His return to west London is the latest piece of business between Chelsea and Atleti, with Conor Gallagher's move to Spain also confirmed on Wednesday.

Felix is another creative option for manager Enzo Maresca in the final third. Christopher Nkunku and Cole Palmer started on the wings in Chelsea's Premier League opener against Manchester City, with Enzo Fernandez featuring in the number 10 position behind striker Nicolas Jackson.

READ THE LATEST CHELSEA NEWS, TRANSFER RUMOURS & GOSSIP