Report: Joao Felix set to join Chelsea on loan after Newcastle talks

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Newcastle United have been linked with signing Joao Felix this month, but the forward is now set to join Chelsea on loan.

According to the Athletic’s David Ornstein, a deal has been agreed for the 23-year-old to leave Atletico Madrid and link up with Graham Potter’s side for the rest of the season.

The report states that Chelsea will pay a loan fee of £9.7million, which is a smaller figure than what Diego Simeone’s team initially wanted. It was previously claimed that a six-month deal would cost more than £18.6million.

Atletico have lowered their demands, but the Blues are still set to pay a huge amount to sign someone on a temporary deal. The Athletic add Felix has opted to join Chelsea because he is attracted by their project – despite the fact he is not a long-term addition.

The youngster’s wages will also be covered by Chelsea, with Fabrizio Romano stating that they will pay him in full. He currently earns more than £250,000-a-week in the Spanish capital.

Todd Boehly is paying an absolute fortune to merely loan Felix. And with the figures involved, it is no surprise that Newcastle are not trying to bring him to St James’ Park.

Felix too expensive for Newcastle as he closes in on Newcastle loan

Given the amount of money a deal would cost, it never felt likely that Newcastle would make a move for Felix.

He was linked with the Magpies towards the end of 2022, while the Mirror stated that his agent Jorge Mendes would hold talks with Newcastle about his client possibly joining Eddie Howe’s side.

Felix is an insanely talented footballer, and has the profile of someone who would really fit in with the project at St James’ Park.

However, the wages he is on and the money Atletico wanted just for a loan made this a non-starter for the Toon.

Newcastle are already looking to be careful with their cash in January. And while £9.7million is not a huge amount of money, it is when you aren’t even getting the player outright. Combine that with his wages and Felix is a player who is out of Newcastle’s stratosphere at the moment.

That will disappoint Kieran Trippier, who played alongside Felix at Atletico. He described the Portugal international as a ‘very special‘ player, and he will now be coming up against his former teammate rather than playing alongside him in black and white.