Pochettino refuses to sign João Félix, who is set to return to Atletico
Officially announced as the Chelsea manager last Monday (29th), Pochettino has already internally communicated that he does not wish to have the forward João Félix in his squad. The Portuguese player is owned by Atlético Madrid and was on loan to the Blues, who had the option to buy him at the end of this season.
Enrique Cerezo, the president of the Spanish club, confirmed that the 23-year-old player will return to Atleti. The statement was made on Tuesday (30th) at an event. During his time at Chelsea, the young forward played 20 games and scored four goals. Therefore, João Félix now faces a problem to resolve with Atlético Madrid, with whom he has a contract until 2027.
The player has already indicated that he does not wish to be coached by Diego Simeone again, with whom he lost his place in the Spanish team and had a falling out. In order to address the crisis, the Portuguese player was loaned by Atleti to Chelsea until the end of the current season.
The intention was not only to remove a problem from the squad but also to pave the way for a future negotiation. However, the changes in management at Chelsea have frustrated those plans. Nevertheless, the player still has the opportunity to negotiate with another Premier League club, where he desires to remain.
Valverde in Chelsea
Mauricio Pochettino is already eyeing reinforcements for Chelsea. One of the first names that the newly appointed Argentine coach has requested is Fede Valverde from Real Madrid. Being a big player in the transfer market, Chelsea is willing to invest around 100 million euros (R$ 542.2 million) for Valverde, according to “Defensa Central.”
The English interest is causing discomfort for Real Madrid. The Madrid club has no intention of negotiating Valverde and will rely on his release clause of 1 billion euros (R$ 5.4 billion) to fend off any offers. The 24-year-old Uruguayan midfielder is an important player in the squad.
