AC Milan reportedly makes key decision on permanent Joao Felix deal from Chelsea amid form dip

Following a dip in form, AC Milan have reportedly made a key decision regarding Joao Felix’s potential permanent signing from Chelsea.

After a promising start, Joao Felix appeared to have found his place at AC Milan, but as the team’s performances declined, so did his form. Amid this dip in performance, Il Rossonero has reportedly made a key decision regarding Felix’s potential permanent transfer from Chelsea.

Having been frozen out under Enzo Maresca at Chelsea, a move away from Stamford Bridge seemed inevitable in January. With Paulo Fonseca newly appointed as Milan’s head coach, the club granted his request by signing Felix on loan until the end of the season, with hopes of negotiating a permanent deal in the summer transfer window. However, those plans may now be changing.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Felix is no longer expected to remain at Milan beyond the 2024-25 season, meaning he will likely return to Chelsea. A combination of underwhelming performances and his high market value has reportedly convinced Milan to abandon their pursuit of a permanent transfer.

Milan’s financial situation has further complicated matters. Following their shock elimination from the UEFA Champions League at the hands of Feyenoord, and currently sitting ninth in Serie A—11 points adrift of the Champions League qualification zone—Milan’s spending power is expected to take a hit. With Theo Hernandez and Rafael Leao rumored to be potential departures in the summer, investing heavily in Felix now seems unlikely.

A radical shift in Felix’s future

Winning the Italian Super Cup initially earned Fonseca enough credit to request reinforcements, with Felix being one of his primary targets. The Portuguese forward made an impressive debut, scoring in a Coppa Italia clash against Roma and playing a key role in Milan’s qualification for the next stage.

This strong start raised expectations across the club, with even Senior Advisor Zlatan Ibrahimović expressing confidence in Felix’s potential: “Let’s hope Joao Felix becomes a legend of Milan too. He’s a great talent, a young player who can still grow, a player who creates situations and knows how to solve them in tight matches.”

However, Felix’s form has since taken a drastic turn. Across his last seven matches in the Champions League and Serie A, Felix has registered zero goals and zero assists in 536 minutes on the pitch. Before Milan’s recent 2-1 loss to Lazio, Fonseca openly addressed the areas where Félix needs improvement:

“The bench is sometimes part of the strategy. He (Joao Felix) is very good between the lines, but sometimes he wants to touch the ball too much and moves into areas where he shouldn’t. We’re working on correcting that. He needs to be more decisive because he has quality. He can’t be far from goal,” Fonseca stated in a press conference, underscoring Felix’s poor form and hinting that his time at Milan may be running out