Barcelona now want to sign 23-year-old player who Newcastle could’ve got this summer

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Had things gone differently this summer, Joao Felix could be a Newcastle United player right now.

Shortly after Chelsea decided that they would not be signing the 23-year-old permanently after his loan spell at Stamford Bridge, Newcastle were given the chance to land Felix.

He was offered to the Magpies by his agent Jorge Mendes, with Felix no longer wanted at Atletico Madrid.

The forward would have been a marquee arrival at St James’ Park, while he would have been reunited with a familiar face in Kieran Trippier, who he played alongside in the Spanish capital.

But Felix has not joined Newcastle, with his astronomical wages proving to be too much for the Magpies to pay.

Now the new season is set to begin, and Felix is still at Atletico, where he is not wanted. Luckily for him, a door could be about to open.

Barcelona eye Joao Felix deal

According to Sport in Spain, Barcelona are interested in signing Joao Felix if Ousmane Dembele leaves the club this summer. The French winger is in talks to join Paris Saint-Germain.

Dembele leaving would mean Barcelona are light in attack, which could inspire them to make a move for Felix.

The report states that Barca do not want to pay an extortionate loan fee for the Portugal international, who has stated his desire to join the Catalan giants.

It is no surprise to see Barcelona making a move for Felix – despite their financial woes. They continue to have money problems, but they have still been able to be active in the transfer market. They have signed Ilkay Gundogan and Inigo Martinez on frees, while Oriol Romeu returned to the club for a bargain fee.

Now they could be joined by Felix, who is being lined up as a replacement for Dembele.

It speaks volumes of Felix’s quality that he can take the place of a player like Dembele, which makes it all the more frustrating that we could not bring him to Tyneside.

But his ridiculous wages of £250,000-a-week were too much, and he would not have been a guaranteed hit based on his time at Chelsea.

Now Barcelona have the opportunity to do what Newcastle decided not to.