Joao Felix is set to return to Chelsea at the end of this season while AC Milan put a long-term plan together, sources have told Football Insider.
Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, senior correspondent Pete O’Rourke revealed that Felix’s loan deal doesn’t feature an obligation to become permanent.
Felix moved to the Italian giants in the January transfer window in a bid to gain more regular first-team football to enhance his personal career.
Well-placed sources have told Football Insider that the Serie A giants would be “very much interested” in signing Felix as long as his performances are up to scratch during this loan period.
Felix made a positive start on that front by scoring on his AC Milan debut in the Italy Cup after coming off the bench.
Felix only joined Chelsea in the previous summer transfer window in a £42million move from Atletico Madrid.
The Portuguese forward played 20 times for the Blues across all competitions, but only 12 of them came in the Premier League.
Felix is one of several players who left the Blues on loan during the January transfer window as Ben Chilwell joined Crystal Palace and Carney Chukwuekmeka moved to Borussia Dortmund.
However, it is believed that they are all going to find themselves in the same position when they return to the Premier League giants.
None of them are in Maresca’s immediate first-team plans, and that could lead to a boomerang effect at Stamford Bridge where players are sent straight back out.
However, this time Chelsea will be looking to make the deals permanent in a bid to trim the size of the squad moving forward so that they can bring in fresh faces.
