ATLETICO MADRID HAVE announced the club record €126 million (£113 million) signing of Benfica attacker Joao Felix.
Manchester City had been interested in exploring a deal for the player depending on the future of Leroy Sane, while the likes of Juventus, Barcelona, Manchester United and Real Madrid had all also been linked.
But it’s Atleti that have secured his signature, with sources revealing that talks began on 1 June, with the Liga club’s CEO Gil Marin meeting Benfica chairman Luis Filipe Vieira during the Champions League final in Madrid to kick off negotiations.
Marin then met Joao Felix in person and Atleti, with the help of Jorge Mendes, went on to convince the 19-year-old and his agent Pedro Cordeiro to travel to Madrid by way of an introduction to the club and their facilities.
The La Liga club submitted an offer last Thursday, just three weeks after he made his debut for Portugal, and the deal was completed six days later.
Joao Felix scored 20 goals in all competitions during the 2018-19 season – his first as part of Benfica’s senior squad – and in April became the youngest player to hit a Europa League hat-trick.
In spite of the fact he made his senior debut less than a year ago, Felix is the fifth-most expensive transfer of all time. Only Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, Phillippe Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele cost more.
The arrival of Felix paves the way for Antoine Griezmann to join Barcelona. The long-rumoured move is set to be completed this week, given the July triggered a cut in the Frenchman’s release clause.
#PureTalent pic.twitter.com/6oQX8dAUA6
— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) July 3, 2019
