MN: ‘I would like to’ – what gives Milan hope of permanent Joao Felix deal | OneFootball

Joao Felix has only been an AC Milan player for a few days, and yet there is already talk about whether his loan deal has the margins to become a permanent stay.

As MilanNews recall, Felix dazzled on his debut at San Siro against Roma, even scoring a goal after an assist from fellow winter signing Santiago Gimenez. By contrast, in recent seasons, the Portuguese has not lived up to expectations, both through his own fault and perhaps because he wasn’t in the right environment.

The start of his adventure in red and black gives hope and it is undeniable that the fans of the Rossoneri – who love players with class, elegance and imagination – are already dreaming of enjoying him for many years.

At the moment the only certainty is that the former Benfica, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid player will remain at Milanello until the end of this season, given that Milan have reached an agreement with Chelsea for a dry loan until June.

There is no option or obligation to buy in the agreement, so the player will return to London in June as things stand. Then, Geoffrey Moncada fuelled the hopes: “Permanent deal? It depends on us, on him. There is always a possibility. We have a really good relationship with Chelsea, we’ll see in the summer.”

More Stories / Exclusive

SM: ‘A solid deal’ – Milan considering ‘entire’ feasibility of Felix arrival

1 February 2025, 13:40

SM Exclusive: Midfielder will undergo medical for Milan Futuro tomorrow – the latest

31 January 2025, 19:00

SM: Agent arrives amid new enquiries – Milan’s stance on Pavlovic exit outlined

23 January 2025, 18:15

What does Moncada mean by ‘it depends on us’? To sign Joao Felix permanently, it will be essential for Milan to qualify for the next Champions League given the transfer fee that would be involved to sign the former Benfica man.

Last summer, he was purchased by Chelsea, who paid over €50m to get him Atletico Madrid. His amortisation fee (per year) is around €10-11m, so the remaining book value in June will be around €40m, which will therefore be the minimum amount that the London club will have to receive in order not to make a capital loss.

Could Milan pay that amount? It is difficult to say now, it will depend on many factors such as qualification for the Champions League or if there will be new resources that will come from some sales.

However, there is another possible scenario: Milan could in fact close with Chelsea for a new paid loan that can cover all or part of the amortisation for that year, but this time inserting an option/obligation to buy for June 2026 at around €30m, which is the book value he would have then.

What is Joao Felix himself thinking? In his unveiling press conference today, he left the door wide open to the idea of staying beyond the summer.

“For now I’m on loan, until June. Let’s see how it goes. For the moment I’m really liking everything: the club, the people, the infrastructure. I’ve been welcomed very well, both me and my family. I feel good here, but we know that in football things can change quickly.

“But if there was the possibility of staying at Milan I would like to. In every club, I had the expectation of playing at my best, but if things don’t go well it’s important to persevere.”