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Atlético Madrid set whopping £86m price tag on Arsenal target Joao Felix

By Ritayan Chatterjee on December 2, 2022

Arsenal have reportedly been made aware that they would be needed to spend a whopping £86m fee to sign Atlético Madrid star Joao Felix this January, as per The Times.

The 23-year-old joined the La Liga giants back in 2019 from SL Benfica for a fee of around £108m. However, the move hasn’t panned out for the Portuguese star as he has failed to flourish during his time at Wanda Metropolitano and struggled to showcase his best under Diego Simeone’s guidance.

Meanwhile, the forward started in both the opening group fixtures for Portugal in the ongoing Qatar Worl Cup against Ghana and Uruguay, scoring a solitary goal.

A previous report claimed that Felix’s relationship with the Atlético boss has completely been broken in recent times and therefore, the forward is looking to move away from the Rojiblancos this January.

Previously speaking to GiveMeSport, journalist Paul Brown stated that Arsenal have been keeping a close eye on Felix’s situation at the Spanish capital and they are interested in signing him. Brown also said that several Gunners’ hierarchy have been a ‘huge fan’ of the Atlético man for a very long time and they know the forward well.

Joao Felix to Arsenal

Now, according to the report by The Times, Atlético Madrid are open to letting their most expensive signing leave this January and are looking to recoup around £86m from his sale.

The report further claims that Arsenal are set to face tough competition to purchase Felix this winter as Premier League rival Manchester United are also showing interest in signing the highly-rated forward.

Joao Felix would be a great acquisition for Arsenal. Despite failing to showcase his best in La Liga, the 23-year-old is still deemed to be one of the best young talents in world football.

Therefore, the Portuguese’s addition to the squad would certainly help Mikel Arteta’s side in mounting a title charge after the new year. However, the reported £86m price tag could be a huge stumbling block for the north London club in getting a deal over the line.

Arsenal are looking to bolster multiple areas this winter and they won’t have the budget to buy Felix as well as other targets, having spent around £120m during the last transfer window. So, they can’t afford to spend the reported sum on a single player. Therefore, it will be interesting to see whether Arsenal will make a move for Felix this January or shift their focus to other targets to strengthen the forward department.