The Joao Felix conundrum: Will Atletico Madrid and Diego Simeone ever get the best out of £113m forward?

Atletico Madrid’s mega-money signing of Joao Felix in 2019 was one of the more curious football transfers in recent years. The €126m (£113m) fee was an enormous sum for Atletico to splash out considering in the past they had not been regarded as big spenders in La Liga. There were also eyebrows raised over Felix’s fit in Diego Simeone’s system: could one of Europe’s most exciting teenage forwards flourish in a defensively-minded team? Or would his talents be subdued by the structure? Ad Three years after the move it’s clear that things haven’t worked out.

UEFA Nations League'Nobody understands Enrique's choices' — Why Spain is divided ahead of Italy clash06/10/2021 AT 12:04 Felix has not flourished. He is yet to hit double figures for goals in a season, has been in and out of the team at times, and has never performed at a consistently elite level. There has also been speculation over the last few windows that he could leave Atletico, despite being under contract until 2026.

Felix has been given a good run in the team by Simeone this season but has failed to shine, with his recent derby performance against Real Madrid particularly uninspiring. Against Sevilla at the weekend he was named on the bench and Atletico produced arguably their best display of the campaign to win 2-0. “Today, the team played as a team again,” said Simeone afterwards.