Manchester United still interested to sign Chelsea loan star Joao Felix and could take another step forward in the summer, according to reports.
The Portuguese striker has impressed since moving to West London on loan Atletico Madrid in January, he scored twice in the Premier League – most recently in last weekend’s 2-2 draw against Everton.
Atleti are keen to sign Felix in the summer as the striker has an uneasy relationship with manager Diego Simeone.
The team has also performed superbly since Felix left and is unbeaten in La Liga since his last appearance, losing just four points in that time and conceding 18 goals.
Chelsea are still weighing whether or not to convert the 23-year-old’s loan spell into a permanent move, with Atletico’s £80 million asking price a huge stumbling block.
Graham Potter is very happy with Felix’s impact and performances, although there is a feeling that such a huge outlay would be better spent on a more orthodox number nine.
United had also explored the possibility of signing Felix in the January period, but were put off by huge demands from Atletico, with Chelsea agreeing to pay a loan of around £10 million and take his mammoth wages.
But now Spanish newspaper AS claim the Red Devils can return in the summer with a new bid for Felix.
The Red Devils have never wavered their interest and have continued to follow his performance for Chelsea, while there is a feeling that Atletico may be more open to negotiating in the summer than in the winter.
However, that £80m price tag could also prove too high for United, especially with Erik ten Hag favoring a move to a proven top scorer.
United are currently linked with transfers from the likes of Tottenham Hotspur rebel Harry Kane and Serie A top scorer Victor Osimhen, both of whom are more out-and-out and scoring goals.
Potter spoke highly of Felix earlier this month, saying: ‘Well, we’re very happy with him – provided he doesn’t tackle anyone half way!
“His quality is clear, in terms of: he can receive the ball in tight spaces, make things happen from an attacking perspective. I think he hit the crossbar twice, also scored and had some other chances. So he also has that quality to finish.
“It’s nice that he can play in a few positions. We’ve used him centrally more often, but he can play almost anywhere in the attack phase of the game.’
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