João Félix will not be joining Aston Villa in the January transfer window, despite Atlético Madrid needing to sell and the player making it clear he wants to leave.
That’s according to journalist Ladislao Moñino, who says a move to Aston Villa has been ruled out.
Félix has been heavily linked with a move away from the Spanish club for the last few months after an apparent falling out with manager Diego Simeone before the World Cup.
That has led to increased speculation about his future, with super-agent Jorge Mendes working to find a deal to take him out of La Liga and to somewhere new.
He has naturally been linked with a move to the Premier League, whose clubs, even those outside of the top six, have the financial power to get a deal over the line.
Aston Villa were one of those, with their owners ready to spend to back Unai Emery in the January transfer window as he looks to reshape his squad.
“In the last 48 hours the owner of Atlético de Madrid has not received any formal offer from any of these teams that seemed to be some of Joao Félix’s destinations,” he told Cadena SER.
“The normal thing is that his agent, Jorge Mendes, will bring it once the market is open. The situation is not easy because the club’s interest in revaluing the player also prevails.
“He probably won’t go to the club he wants but to the one the club considers that, if he leaves, he can be revalued in case they have to make a sale in the summer. It is ruled out that he will go to Aston Villa.
“In Simeone’s eyes, Joao Felix is a player who, through injury, form, because the team’s play has not favoured him or because of his own fault, has not sustained 30 games in a season.
“The way the team is, we have to see if both Atlético de Madrid and Simeone can afford to lose a player who, with the level he showed today, can help them a lot.”
