Chelsea are set to keep Joao Felix next season despite not playing in Europe
According to Sun, Chelsea are set to keep hold of Joao Felix despite not playing in any European competitions next season.
The Portugal international, who was signed by the Blues on loan from Atletico Madrid in January, has previously expressed that the participation in the Champions League may influence his decision whether to stay at Stamford Bridge or go back to Madrid.
But, the 23-year-old feels settled in London now and may continue to play for Chelsea despite no European football in sight next season.
Atleti boss Diego Simeone wants this loan move to become a permanent one with a reported transfer fee of around £88m. The Blues are not prepared for that amount, hence a second loan deal is on the cards.
Felix also wants assurances from the to-be next Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino about getting a considerable amount of game time. It remains to be seen how the Argentine manages all of this situation, plus the bloated squad count.
The former Benfica star has played some decent games for the Blues since getting sent off in his debut game against Fulham back in January.
But, the end product is lacking, as it is with every Chelsea player at the moment. The team is performing like a Sunday League outfit under the naive management of Frank Lampard.
We can only hope that the potential appointment of Pochettino brings a sense of calm to the club. The former Tottenham boss is also one of the best when it comes to getting the best out of the players in tough circumstances.
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If he and Felix form a good partnership, we can see the latter flourishing in his second season as a Chelsea player.