January 29th 2025.
Rumors have been swirling about Joao Felix potentially leaving Chelsea once again. According to reports, Chelsea is considering using the discontented forward as part of a deal to bring Aston Villa's Jhon Duran to the team, with Arsenal and West Ham also showing interest in the young player.
Felix, who joined Chelsea just last summer in a £45 million deal from Atletico Madrid, has had a difficult time settling in at Stamford Bridge. Despite his talent, he has only started three league matches this season and has found himself behind other promising attackers like Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke, Pedro Neto, and Jadon Sancho in the team's pecking order.
Naturally, Felix has grown frustrated with his lack of playing time and is open to leaving Chelsea before the January transfer window comes to a close next week. Aston Villa seems to be leading the race for his signature, as they have already begun talks with Chelsea. However, Unai Emery, who is a known admirer of Felix, may also be in the running as he had tried to secure his services before Chelsea swooped in last summer.
While several European clubs are also interested in Felix, the chance to stay in the Premier League with Aston Villa, who are currently in eighth place, may be appealing to the 25-year-old. And it seems that Chelsea is willing to let him go if a suitable agreement can be reached. In fact, they may even try to bring in Duran from Villa as part of the deal, according to sources.
Duran, who has been playing second fiddle to England striker Ollie Watkins at Villa Park, has also caught the attention of Arsenal and their manager Mikel Arteta. West Ham's new boss Graham Potter is also keen on working with Duran, despite Villa rejecting a £57 million offer from the Hammers.
Chelsea's interest in Duran comes at a difficult time for the team, as they have slipped from second to sixth place in the league in just a month. Their current first-choice striker, Nicolas Jackson, has gone seven games without scoring, leading to suggestions that he may not be at the required level. In fact, earlier in the season, Chelsea's manager Enzo Maresca had named Felix as one of the three players who deserved to start.
When asked about the speculation surrounding Duran after his team's 1-1 draw with West Ham, Aston Villa's manager Emery made it clear that he wants the player to stay with the team. "The circumstances in this moment are not helping us to be 100% focused," he said in an interview with Sky Sports. "But Jhon Duran is our player and I am happy with him. I want him here with us. I want him here."
Felix, who had spent the second half of the 2022-23 season on loan at Chelsea before signing permanently last summer, may now be on the verge of leaving the team once again. Only time will tell if he will end up at Aston Villa, Arsenal, or West Ham, or if Chelsea will manage to bring Duran to Stamford Bridge as part of the deal.
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