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I have no idea what player Joao Felix is - he needs to prove one thing at Chelsea

Chelsea star Joao Felix.
-Credit: (Image: Jacques Feeney/Offside)


Glenn Hoddle has challenged Joao Felix to replicate his form from his loan spell at Catalan giants Barcelona and force his way into Chelsea's plans.

The 24-year-old sealed a return to Stamford Bridge in August as the Blues agreed a £42million deal with Atletico Madrid - 18 months after he had first moved to the club on loan.

Portugal international Felix is yet to start a Premier League for Chelsea, this campaign, with Enzo Maresca instead preferring the likes of Nicolas Jackson, Cole Palmer, Jadon Sancho and Noni Madueke. Both of his goals have come in the Europa Conference League - on Thursday night.

That, though, is quite the contrast to Felix's situation at Barcelona, last season, where he started 14 consecutive La Liga games between September and December before suffering an ankle injury in the New Year. Such consistency saw the forward end the term with seven goals and three assists as Xavi's team finished runners-up to Real Madrid.

And former Chelsea and England midfielder Hoddle - who also managed club and country - has called on Felix to squeeze every ounce of his incredible talent and kick-start his career at Stamford Bridge.

"I'm not quite sure what he is, what type of player he is," said Hoddle. "To the eye, he's a very good player. He's got lovely skills and he glides.

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"When he first came over to Chelsea on loan, I thought; 'Wow, they've got a player here'... But he hasn't gone on from there. Whether he found it more difficult. Here you see him [at Barca] playing in a team where he knows his teammates, he feels at home.

"What I like about him, when I saw him at his best, is that he gets in the box and drifts into areas of the box. He's going off the side of the defender and you play him where you can hurt a team.

"At Chelsea, I think he's playing a little bit deeper. He can be a provider as well of course. For me, there's more to come from this lad, or is there? He's got to step up to get in this side when the manager can go; 'I can put my hat on him'."