According to The Guardian, after selling Moussa Diaby for €60 million, Aston Villa plans to bring in João Félix.
Félix transferred from Benfica to Atlético Madrid in 2019 for €126 million when he was still a teenager. As Villa prepares for the Champions League, Félix is one of their targets. The last time Villa participated in top-level European competition was during the 1982/83 season.
Félix spent much of the past two seasons on loan from Atlético. He made 44 appearances for Barcelona in the 2023/24 season, scoring 10 goals. Additionally, Chelsea paid €11 million to borrow Félix for the second half of the 2022/23 season. Félix’s contract with Atlético runs until 2027, and while it’s unclear how feasible this deal would be, he is a player of interest to Villa manager Unai Emery.
The 24-year-old Félix is a promising talent in Emery’s eyes. He values players who can play various positions up front, such as Morgan Rogers, signed in January. Villa also has its eye on Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams, whose release clause stands at €58 million. However, the Spanish forward is one of Barcelona’s priorities following his impressive performance at Euro 2024.
Diaby is expected to sign a five-year contract with Saudi Arabian team Al Ittihad Jeddah, which also inquired about the possibility of buying goalkeeper Ederson from Manchester City. Meanwhile, Villa is set to announce the signing of Belgian midfielder Amadou Onana from Everton for £50 million, with the player having already undergone a medical.