Transfer News: Barcelona Reach Verbal Agreement To Sign Top Portuguese Striker

AS the clock ticks down to the end of the transfer window, Barcelona have reportedly reached a verbal agreement to sign Joao Felix on loan from Atletico Madrid.

Fabrizio Romano, the respected Italian football transfer expert broke the news in a tweet this evening, Friday, September 1.

He posted: ‘BREAKING: João Félix to Barcelona, here we go! Verbal agreement reached with Atlético on loan deal, NO buy option clause will be included  #FCB Barça waiting to sign documents then sealed. July 18, exclusive interview: “I want to join Barça, it’s my dream”. Now reality’.

BREAKING: João Félix to Barcelona, here we go! Verbal agreement reached with Atlético on loan deal, NO buy option clause will be included 🚨🔵🔴 #FCB

Barça waiting to sign documents then sealed.

July 18, exclusive interview: “I want to join Barça, it’s my dream”. Now reality. pic.twitter.com/9iP5MKb3ej

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 1, 2023

The talented 23-year-old Portuguese striker had made it abundantly clear that the only move he wanted was to Camp Nou.  He now appears to have accomplished his dream.

Felix was not wanted at Chelsea by Pochettino

His previous loan spell at Stamford Bridge during the second half of last season with Chelsea was pretty much a disaster. He was sent off on his debut and only managed to return a total of four goals in 20 appearances during all competitions after the club forked out a loan fee of £9.7m for him.

Felix was one of the first players that Mauricio Pochettino got rid of when he took over from Frank Lampard. He was clearly seen as surplus to requirements in his new tenure as manager of the Blues.

Joao Felix has not played at Atleti since his return

Since returning to the Wanda Metropolitano, the Portuguese international has failed to see any game time in La Liga under the club’s Argentinian coach Diego Simeone.

Publicly stating his desire to play for Barca brought a stern response from his manager. ‘It is normal that in the press the focus is on whether he stays or leaves. I already said that there is no one more important than the club, with no exceptions. It’s impossible to be clearer than that’, Simeone said at the time.

🚨 EXCLUSIVE — João Félix statement on his future: “I’d love to play for Barça”.

◉ “Barcelona has always been my first choice and I’d love to join Barça”.

◉ “It was always my dream since I was a kid”.

◉ “If it happens, it will be a dream come true for me”. pic.twitter.com/3zg9BiCDgO

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 18, 2023

His arrival in the Spanish capital from Benfica for a massive £112m  in 2019 was hailed as a huge coup for Atleti after the young player had proved such a success with the Portuguese giants. Felix subsequently scored 34 goals in 131 appearances while helping Atletico Madrid win one La Liga title in the process.