The arrival of Kyle Walker rules out Marcus Rashford's move to Milanello and significantly boosts the chances of João Félix joining. The Portuguese forward is a specific request from Sérgio Conceição, who knows him very well and would gladly integrate him into his attack. Félix could play as a playmaker, a left winger in a 4-2-3-1, or a second striker in a 4-4-2 formation. It was the former Porto coach who suggested this shift on Thursday, and the club is doing everything possible to accommodate his wishes. Realizing that the Rashford situation could drag on—since the English player hopes to join Barcelona and Manchester United (for now) insists on covering 75% of his €13.5 million net salary, Milan has begun working on João Félix, who is represented by Jorge Mendes, the same agent as Conceição.
Compared to the Rashford deal, the formula Milan is considering remains a loan. This is also because Chelsea purchased João Félix from Atlético Madrid last summer for €52 million, tying him to a contract until 2030, with an option for an additional year. Buying him outright is currently unfeasible for the club at Via Aldo Rossi. Thus, the focus is on a loan deal, potentially with an option to buy, especially since his salary (€4.5 million net plus bonuses) is more manageable compared to Rashford’s. However, Milan cannot afford to delay, as Chelsea only has one international loan slot available and prioritizes moving left-back Ben Chilwell, who is completely out of Enzo Maresca's plans. In contrast, João is not surplus to requirements. While he ranks behind Cole Palmer and Christopher Nkunku for the attacking midfielder role, he has scored seven goals in 19 appearances and could even start against Wolverhampton on Monday, given Palmer’s current fitness issues. Additionally, he has the stage of the Conference League, where Maresca often rotates his lineup compared to the Premier League. It is clear, however, that Félix is intrigued by the prospect of wearing Milan’s jersey. Conceição can offer him more playing time than he currently has with the Blues, although yesterday the new Milan coach avoided discussing the transfer market topic directly.
The operation to sign Joao Felix
Having Jorge Mendes working toward a successful deal is a significant advantage, despite Chelsea not being in a rush to loan out the 1999-born player from Viseu. The London club’s directors are focused on reinforcements: they have made an attempt for United's Alejandro Garnacho, inquired about Borussia Dortmund's Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, and are discussing a swap deal with Bayern involving Mathys Tel and Nkunku. If Nkunku were to leave, acquiring Félix could become more complicated for Milan. This is why the Rossoneri are eager to act quickly. Following initial contacts, Milan plans to intensify its efforts in the coming hours. The goal is to convince Chelsea by including an option to buy set at around €35 million for the summer of 2026. The deal would require an initial six-month loan, with the possibility of extending it for another year. In any case, while Milan remains vigilant about other opportunities, João is currently the top priority.
Source: Gazzetta dello Sport
