Joao Felix returns to Chelsea ‘home’ from Atletico Madrid in permanent £45.5m deal & vows ‘best years are ahead of me’ after failed Barcelona loan spell

Chelsea have confirmed that Joao Felix has joined the club on a permanent transfer from La Liga side Atletico Madrid.

Felix has returned to Chelsea for a second spell with the Blues after spending time on loan with the Premier League side during the 2022-23 season. The Portugal international has arrived on a six-year deal, with the option for one more, and a fee thought to be in the region of £45.5 million (€53m/$59m). Felix has said he is happy to be “home” and has vowed his best years are still to come.

He told the club’s official website: “It’s a chance for me to find a home. After two loans, Chelsea and Barca, I needed to stay permanently in one place. There is no better place for me to be than Chelsea. I see a perfect place to shine. It was a little bit of a lot of things that made me want to come back: the project, the club, the league, the fans, the time I spent here that I loved. I felt really good when I was here, despite the results we had. I’m really happy to be back.

“I’ve developed as a player in a lot of ways: the perception of the game, and the spaces the ball can arrive easily where I can make more impact. I try to figure it out by watching some videos of me of my games. I’ve kind of changed since I was last here. I’m 24 now. I’ll be 25 in November. I feel like I grew up as a player. That’s normal with age. I’m more prepared for the Premier League. I feel like my best years are ahead of me. I have no doubt about that. The best years are still to come. And this year is going to be a good year, because now I am permanently at home, and I can enjoy home.”

Felix becomes Chelsea’s 10th signing of a hectic summer and he will hope that he can finally make an impact after a tough few years. The Portugal international failed to live up to his lofty price tag after signing for Atletico in a club-record deal and was sent out on loan to Chelsea and Barcelona. Felix failed to find a regular spot in the starting XI with the Catalan giants last season, but will aim to make an impact at Stamford Bridge amid intense competition for a place in the the starting XI.

Felix was sent off on his Chelsea debut against Fulham in his first spell with the club, but went on to score four times in 20 appearances.

Chelsea take on Servette in a Europa Conference League play-off on Thursday in a game that will come too soon for Felix. The Portugal international could make his debut on Sunday, however, as the Blues take on Wolves at Molineux in the Premier League.