Manchester City have suffered a transfer blow in their pursuit of Joao Felix, as Atletico Madrid have ruled out selling their forward this month, reports Marca.
Joao Felix, 22, has been linked with a host of clubs in recent months, including Liverpool and Manchester United. The Portuguese international has failed to live up to his mammoth price tag at Atletico Madrid since moving from Benfica in the summer of 2019.
He helped Atletico win the La Liga title last season but has played a bit-part role over the course of the ongoing campaign, starting just four league games to date. In all, the forward has made only 18 appearances, bagging three goals and registering as many assists.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola wanted to sign Joao Felix before Atletico Madrid managed to lure him away from Benfica three years ago. While Barcelona have also shown interest in the 22-year-old in the past, the Colchoneros are clear in their stance that the player is not going anywhere this month, claims Marca.
Atletico boss Diego Simeone knows Felix’s ‘worth’ and ‘talent’, and even if the player hasn’t shown the consistency levels he’s expected to at the Estadio Wanda Metropolitano now, he is not willing to give up on the Portuguese starlet, neither this month nor in the summer, the report adds.
That’s as clear as Atletico can get on Felix amidst interest from Manchester City, with the young attacker’s future looks likely to remain at the Estadio Wanda Metropolitano—at least for now. The Portuguese international has been a pivotal part of this Atletico attack, despite lack of consistency.
Man City’s interest in Felix is justifiable after the departure of Ferran Torres to Barcelona earlier in the ongoing transfer window. The ex-Benfica starlet fits the bill perfectly in Guardiola’s system, representing an excellent option as a replacement for Torres.
However, Atletico’s willingness to hold onto Felix could force Guardiola and Manchester City to look elsewhere to reinforce their attack.