Joao Felix’s Chelsea future looks all but over — and now his boyhood club are plotting a surprise escape route.
The 25-year-old Portuguese forward is no longer part of Enzo Maresca’s plans at Stamford Bridge. After a mixed loan spell at AC Milan and being left out of Chelsea’s Club World Cup squad entirely, sources in Portugal claim Benfica are ready to bring him back.
“The club is open to a reunion — but not at any price,” said a Benfica board source. — A Bola (Portugal)
According to A Bola, agent Jorge Mendes has already held talks with Benfica bosses. However, they’ll only table an offer worth €25m (£21.6m) — a figure half of what Chelsea paid Atletico Madrid just last summer.
Why Maresca Has Moved On
Felix netted just 4 goals in 20 Chelsea appearances and struggled for consistency. Despite scoring on his second debut for the Blues, the creative attacker never found regular minutes.
Enzo Maresca has since taken drastic steps — removing Felix’s squad number and making it clear that the Portuguese star is surplus to requirements heading into 2025/26.
Benfica’s Financial Gamble
Felix was once the fourth most expensive player in football history, joining Atletico Madrid for €126m in 2019. Benfica sold him for a record fee — but now want to bring him back at a quarter of that cost.
| Joao Felix (All Competitions 2024/25) | Value |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 26 |
| Goals | 7 |
| Assists | 3 |
| Minutes Played | 1,492 |
But Benfica’s budget is tight, and Felix’s wages remain a major obstacle. Chelsea are understood to be open to a permanent sale, but they’ll need to absorb a heavy financial loss to get it done.
Key Insights
- Benfica want Joao Felix back — but only for £21.6m
- Chelsea paid £42m just last year for the Portuguese forward
- Felix left out of Maresca’s Club World Cup squad
- Wages could block any permanent Benfica return
- A Bola confirm Jorge Mendes has opened discussions
What’s Next?
Chelsea will continue to explore exit options for Felix. Benfica must decide whether to stretch their budget or look elsewhere. Maresca is keen to finalise outgoings before bringing in another attacker. If Benfica fail to match wage expectations, other European suitors may re-enter the race
Should Chelsea accept a £21.6m loss just to move Felix on? Or wait for better offers abroad?
2 Comments (last comment by JamesLove)
First read message
By JamesLove 12 Jul 2025 19:24
Never seen a player at that age getting so many chances. He has played for the biggest teams in Europe but never impressed
By Adem 12 Jul 2025 19:24
This was one of the most special transfers of Chelsea actually, but probably only did it just to get rid of Conor Gallager..
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