Chelsea reach Joao Felix transfer agreement as deadline day move sealed
Joao Felix is on the verge of completing a six-month loan move to AC Milan in the final hours of transfer deadline day, football.london understands.
The 25-year-old will move to the San Siro until the end of the season with the Rossoneri expected to complete the signing before tonight's 11pm deadline. Milan will pay Chelsea £4.5million for the loan move and also cover all of the Portugal international's wages. There is no buy option in the loan contract.
Felix has started just three times for Chelsea in the Premier League since re-signing for the club back in August. The Blues are understood to be happy for the Portuguese to move on a loan deal to experience more first-team football.
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Aston Villa also expressed an interest in Felix, with Unai Emery a long-term admirer of the former Atletico Madrid attacker. However, Villa were somewhat put off by Chelsea's hefty price-tag, knowing that a permanent deal would have been on the cards in the summer transfer window.
It has not worked out for Felix since returning to Stamford Bridge - and that is despite the Portuguese almost averaging a direct goal involvement every other game. Felix has seven goals and two assists to his name in 20 appearances in all competitions. However, the attacker has scored just the one goal and provided the same amount of assists in the Premier League.
Felix was used in the UEFA Conference League in all but one match. In that time, he netted four goals but he still could not find a route into the Premier League line-up, with Cole Palmer occupying the No.10 position under Enzo Maresca.
Another man that has been used in the central attacking midfield position is Christopher Nkunku, who now looks set to stay at Stamford Bridge for the remainder of the season at the very least. The France international has been a target for both Bayern Munich and Manchester United throughout the window but is expected to remain in SW6 beyond tonight's deadline.
