With the January transfer window finally over, Enzo Maresca is looking forward to the second half of the season with a much more compact squad following several high-profile departures. One player who somewhat surprisingly made the move away from Stamford Bridge, was João Félix. The departures of the likes of Ben Chilwell, Carney Chukwuemeka and Cesare Casadei were not entirely surprisingly with each player being allowed to leave in search of regular game time or brand-new starts. However, Félix’s move to Italian giants AC Milan was a bit more staggering and also raised serious questions about why the 25-year-old was signed to begin with.
A Square Portuguese Peg in a Round Hole
Felix signed for Chelsea only last summer, completing a move from Atlético Madrid for a reported fee of around £42million. Met with some excitement by the Blues faithful with the mercurial talent, and confusion and derision from others, as the move was a part of the transfer tangle which led to fan favourite Conor Gallagher joining the Spanish side. However, when the dust settled, Félix was expected to be a key member of Maresca’s squad – his talent remains obvious, and he’s shone in glimpses across the last six months, but one word will forever be associated with Félix’s time so far: inconsistent.
The Portuguese soon found himself in Maresca’s ‘B team’, primarily competing in the UEFA Conference League and the domestic cup competitions, with only fleeting appearances in the Premier League and few stand out moments from those performances. One issue that has forever plagued Félix is what his best position in. A Jack of all trades and a master of none, Félix has been deployed in the number ten role, either wing or as a false nine. However, he has never made any position his true role and has suffered as a result.
Alongside this, Félix has struggled to adapt to the physical demands and speed of the Premier League. This was evident during his first mixed spell in England, but with more experience behind him, the hope was that Félix would be more ready made for the Premier League now and be able to fulfil the obvious potential he does has. Unfortunately for Maresca and Chelsea, this has yet to be realised.
Boehly’s Masterplan?
With Félix’s departure to Italy, aside from his lacklustre performances, it has raised serious questions about why the Blues signed him to begin with. Besides the obvious move to get Gallagher out of the door for FFP purposes, spending £42million plus on a player to only ship them out on loan months later is a very bizarre strategy from Boehly and co, and has casted further doubt about their competency in leading the club forward.
On pure footballing ability, Félix’s move makes sense, and the hope will be that he can rediscover his best form in Milan and return to Chelsea with new strengths and confidence for the 2025-26 season. However, the reality is that it’s likely that Félix will never play for Chelsea again and will be sold for either a similar price or profit, if the club can attain that.
With Gallagher forced out, and Félix signed as the replacement, it was always going to be tricky for him to win over the Stamford Bridge faithful due to those circumstances. It remains to be seen what his long-term career will be in London, especially when considering he signed a seven-year-contract, but all signs point to a quick departure for the former Portuguese prodigy.
