Chelsea stepping up move to land £83m Felix upgrade

Chelsea oversaw another big-money spending spree during the summer transfer window, splashing the cash to give boss Enzo Maresca the best chance of being a success during his first season at the helm.

Owner Todd Boehly invested at least another £200m into the playing squad, trying to improve various areas of the first team, providing added quality and depth for the Italian.

Pedro Neto was the biggest summer signing, costing the Blues £54m from fellow Premier League side Wolves – looking to rival the likes of Mykhailo Mudryk and Noni Madueke for a starting role in the wide areas.

The investment appears to have worked up to now for Boehly and Maresca, with the club currently sitting fourth in the Premier League, whilst leading the Europa Conference League with a perfect record of three wins out of three.

One player was handed a start in their latest outing against Armenian side FC Noah last night, taking his opportunity from the off with both hands.

João Félix’s permanent move to Chelsea

After spending the second half of the 2022/23 season on loan at Stamford Bridge, Portuguese international João Félix secured a permanent return to the Blues during the recent transfer window.

He cost Maresca’s side a fee in the region of £45m, with academy graduate Conor Gallagher going the other way as part of the deal for £33m after an entire summer of uncertainty for the Englishman.

Since his return to the club, Felix has made ten appearances in all competitions, scoring five times – including a double in last night’s 8-0 rout in the Conference League.

However, he’s found starts hard to come by in the league, such the quality of Chelsea’s forward line, having to settle for an impact role behind Cole Palmer, who has continued his excellent form from last season – notching 12 goal contributions in as many games.

Subsequently, 24-year-old Felix is yet to make a league start since his return to England, featuring for a total of just 118 minutes, with all of his starts coming in cup competitions.

Given his hefty transfer fee, you would expect more consistent minutes for a player who has showcased his talents, but ultimately, the quality in and around him in forward areas is preventing the former Benfica youngster from producing the goods.

However, he could find himself further down the pecking order in the coming months, with the club preparing a move for another elite-level talent upon the opening of the January transfer window.

According to Spanish sources, the Blues have taken a ‘step forward’ in their pursuit of Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz after making contact with the player’s representatives. The west Londoners are said to be in the mix alongside the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City.

The 21-year-old registered 37 combined goal contributions in all competitions last season, as he played a crucial role in securing the Bundesliga title for Xabi Alonso’s side – subsequently going the whole league season unbeaten.

Wirtz has started the new campaign in a similar fashion, with eight combined goals and assists in his 16 outings, with the Blues keeping a close eye on his progress.

The report also states that Bayern Munich and Real Madrid are keeping tabs on the talent, with a big move expected for the German valued at €100m (£83m), who’s previously been dubbed “world-class” by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

He would provide an upgrade on Felix, potentially pushing the new signing further down the pecking order, making it even harder for him to gain valuable first-team minutes in West London.

Wirtz has averaged more progressive carries and more progressive passes per 90 so far this season, also managing nearly three times more shot-creating actions than the current Blues first-team star.

The German has also achieved a higher take-on percentage whilst getting more of his efforts on target – providing an increased threat in the final third for Maresca’s side should he make a move to the Premier League.

Undoubtedly, the deal would be a very expensive one, spending more money on an area of the pitch where they already have countless players with game-changing quality.

However, there’s no denying that the Leverkusen ace would be an upgrade on Felix, certainly helping the Blues in their quest for a Champions League finish this campaign.