AC Milan may have to cash in on Rafael Leao to afford a permanent deal for Joao Felix, potentially presenting an exciting opportunity to Chelsea.
Felix left the Blues in January after failing to nail down a regular starting spot under Enzo Maresca. The Portugal international handed in a transfer request and got his wish when AC Milan came calling.
Rossoneri advisor Zlatan Ibrahimovic later revealed that the negotiations with Chelsea proved unproblematic and were completed relatively quickly. However, because the talks happened late in the window – the Felix transfer was only announced after Deadline Day – Milan did not manage to include a purchase option in the deal.
But the club are already planning to continue with the 25-year-old beyond the current campaign, and Felix himself is open to staying in Lombardy long-term, as he revealed at his unveiling press conference earlier in the week.
“At the moment, I’m really enjoying everything: the club, the people, the facilities,” Felix said on Monday. “I’ve been welcomed very well. The most important thing is to be where I feel good, and I feel good here. Then, in football, things can change, but if there’s a possibility to stay at Milan, I would like that.”
Felix to present Leao opportunity?
During that press conference, Felix also revealed that compatriot Rafael Leao was one of the first Milan players to welcome him to his new club, but in the summer, the two could go their separate ways.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Milan will sit down with Chelsea again in the summer to discuss a new deal for Felix. It could be for a permanent transfer or another loan but with an obligation to buy for around €40m, which is essentially the same thing.
However, to afford this, Milan will have to make at least one big sale. Star left-back Theo Hernandez, who has endured a difficult season, is one of the most likely candidates to leave, but the Italian outlet claims that Milan will also be willing to listen to suitable offers for Leao.
Intriguingly, the report states that Milan will not insist on clubs paying Leao’s whopping €175 million release clause. The Portuguese is known to have admirers at Barcelona, but he has also often been linked with Chelsea.
With the Blues still looking for a left-winger, it appears as though there could be a possibility for a mutually beneficial deal here.
