Joao Felix’s arrival at AC Milan was greeted with some enthusiasm, but less than a couple of months later his fate already seems sealed.
La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) write this morning that in a parallel world, Sergio Conceiçao’s Milan turned a corner with the winter transfer window, thanks also to the signing of Felix on loan from Chelsea. In the real world, the opposite is true.
If the reality had been better, today we would be talking concretely about the possibility of keeping the Portuguese forward at Milan in the seasons to come. Instead, after a bright start, the fire seems to have gone out, not that he is the only one.
Double thread
Conceicao pushed for the signing of his compatriot in January. It goes without saying that with a change of coach, Joao’s chances of staying at Milan would be practically zero.
Conceiçao and Felix share the same agent, the very powerful Jorge Mendes, who was fundamental in planning the operation that on the last day of the transfer market had brought him from Chelsea on a dry loan.
The agreements were clear from the beginning: if Joao Felix had contributed to Milan’s success, with Conceiçao consequently confirmed, negotiations with the Blues would then have started for a new loan and this time with an option or obligation to buy.
Things, however, did not go very well from there. Conceiçao, barring any sensational surprises, will not be the coach of Milan in 2025-26 and, therefore, Felix will likely clear out his Milanello locker.
Current events
This is also because, despite his bond with the coach, the Portuguese starlet has sat on the bench in Milan’s last two outings against Lazio and Lecce, only coming on during the game.
Was it a tactical/fitness-based choice, or the verdict of failure? Only Conceicao truly knows. Felix has had some physical problems in the past weeks, but the manager had decided to always rely on him, generating some grumbling among the fans.
Since the goal against Roma on debut in the cup, Felix has not been able to make an impact with a goal or an assist, although some numbers unexpectedly rewarded his performances.
Since his arrival, Joao has been number one at Milan for successful dribbles, fouls suffered in the final third of the pitch and shots towards the opponent’s goal.
Luck was lacking and Conceiçao has decided to use him as a weapon from the bench, perhaps banking on the fact that – when the opponents suffer from tiredness – the technical quality of the ex-Benfica man can emerge.
In Lecce it worked, as he had a hand in the own-goal that made it 2-1. Could this be the incident that marks a turning point? Even if the story between Joao and Milan seems to be already in the final credits, there can always be a happy ending. Maybe with a trophy, the Coppa Italia.
