Portuguese attacker João Félix has joined AC Milan on a loan deal, six months after returning to Chelsea from Atletico Madrid in a £45m deal. His departure to Stamford Bridge also paved the way for Conor Gallagher’s switch to Atletico for £33m.
Félix enjoyed a mixed loan spell at Stamford Bridge in the 2022/23 campaign, showing glimpses of his vast potential alongside periods of frustration, including receiving a red card on his debut, a 2-1 loss against Fulham. In his second stint, the manager Enzo Maresca restricted the 23-year-old to appearances in the Conference League and domestic cups, using him sparingly in the Premier League.
A feeling that opportunity was knocking, however, led AC Milan to relieve the 24-year-old of his Chelsea obligations, with a loan deal suggest to cost the Rossoneri around £5m and Aston Villa missing out in the process. The forward attended the San Siro on Sunday to see Milan play out a 1-1 draw with city rivals Inter as he embarks on his new adventure in Serie A.
It adds to a frantic transfer window for Milana under new manager Sergio Conceição, who has been vocal about his own annoyance with how long it has been so far. But Milan’s persistence has been rewarded, and Félix arrives at a team eager to compete on various fronts this season.
