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Joao Felix has had a bit of a mixed season on loan at Barcelona from Atletico Madrid, but he’s certainly had an impact when playing against his parent club, as he scored in home and away fixtures against Atletico in La Liga.
Speaking after the latest game, Felix insisted that fans don’t know the truth about what happened with him in Madrid, so I thought I’d try to provide some insight into what he means.
It’s about the relationship between Felix, the club, the manager…many issues that are an absolutely normal part of the game in elite football. It’s understandable but it’s also private stuff so it will be up to Joao or Atletico to mention that if and when they want to. In any case, I think it’s been clear since a long time now that the player has no future at Atletico Madrid.
Staying with Barcelona transfer news, there has also been a story about Tottenham being interested in signing 19-year-old talent Mikayil Faye from the Catalan giants. However, I have no info on this so far – all I know is that OGC Nice and RC Lens wanted him last January, but so did Ajax and Girona. Let’s see who’s going to try in the summer but also, remember that Barca consider him a special talent.
As recently reported, Chelsea are keen to explore the left-backs market for the summer transfer window, most likely for a top young talent in that position, and so it’s inevitable that we’re going to be hearing a lot of names linked with the Blues in the weeks ahead.
I’ve seen some reports about the likes of Rayan Ait-Nouri at Wolves, and also talented young Brest left-back Bradley Locko, but it’s still early to know specific names, as far as I understand.
It is true that Chelsea are looking for left-backs, but we’re going to hear a lot of names and I don’t like to add too much speculation, just report the facts, so let’s see what they decide as it’s still only the early stage of discussions and I’m not aware of a preferred player that they’re targeting for that role as of yet.
Jhon Duran was another name linked with Chelsea back in January, but the move was never close. At the moment I’m not aware of concrete contacts, he’s just one of many players they considered and discussed but it never led to a proper negotiation with Villa. He’s fully focused on Villa now, no one else.
Amad Diallo – what a story for him at the weekend as he hit that late extra time winner to complete Manchester United’s comeback victory over Liverpool to progress to the FA Cup semi-finals.
In January, Amad had possibilities to go out on loan, or to leave Man United on a permanent transfer. There were many possibilities for him in Italy in particular, with Serie A clubs interested, but also clubs in the Championship in England. He had the opportunity to go to Sunderland again, but he always wanted to stay at Man United, and also Erik ten Hag told him at the end of January ‘stay here, be patient, and your opportunity will come’.
Now Amad has scored this crucial and memorable goal, and there will be further discussions over his future in the next months to understand the long-term project for him at Old Trafford.
A lot has been written about Joshua Kimmich as he approaches the final year of his contract at Bayern Munich, and while I want to be respectful to what other journalists are saying, I can only report on what I’ve been told so far.
I’m told that Bayern will speak to Kimmich about his contract situation in the next months, and in case new deal can’t be agreed, there’s a chance to sell him this summer- exactly in a similar situation as Alphonso Davies.
I don’t want to deny information from other colleagues about the clubs who could be options for Kimmich, but I prefer not to enter into clubs links yet as it’s early and nothing concrete is happening yet.
Leny Yoro remains one to watch as one of the top young talents on the market for the summer, as I’ve previously mentioned. Manchester United are one of the clubs who’ve scouted him, and I expect PSG to return for him after targeting him in the January transfer window.
There’s been fresh speculation that Yoro is now leaning towards Real Madrid as his next destination, and while it’s true that Yoro considers Real Madrid as a fantastic destination, still no decision has been made or communicated yet.
It will be crucial to understand how much Lille will ask for in the summer, with their president to decide that later. My understanding is that PSG are also still there and that the story remains open, but Real Madrid are there since October and will be there in the summer for sure.