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Earlier this week, RMC Sport reported Aston Villa have started talks with Chelsea over a move for João Félix in the winter market.

The Portugal international returned to Chelsea last summer, after a loan spell with the Blues in 2023.

Unai Emery has tried to sign the 25-year-old on a few occasions in the past, but he wasn’t in favour of a move to Aston Villa.

The Villans are still keen on signing the Chelsea player in this window. That’s according to Aston Villa director Monchi, and AS have covered his comments.

Aston Villa are in the process of transferring Jhon Durán to Al-Nassr for a reported fee of €77m. Their official has now confirmed the striker’s impending sale and insists the Villans could invest part of the fee in signing Félix.

The former Atlético Madrid man has clocked in 363 minutes from 12 league games for Chelsea this season. Monchi wants to take him to Aston Villa but isn’t certain whether his side will be successful.

“The first thing we are going to do with the money we receive Durán’s sale is to save part of it due to the Fair Play rules, which are very demanding,” he said.

“A significant portion of the revenue will go to that. Then there are names, one of them is João. Emery likes him, because in the three markets I have been in, fourth with this one, he has always been popular and has been a small object of Emery’s desire.

“But it’s complicated, and I don’t know if we’ll be able to be there. He’s a player with a lot of quality and Emery in his history as a coach has been able to recover players who were considered lost, and he trusts in João’s talent.”

“The first time, Aston Villa were in the Conference League, and he wanted the Champions League, that’s why he went to Barcelona. Then, in the operation with Gallagher and Atlético had to enter [him] into negotiations with Chelsea and we couldn’t enter.”

On Thursday, L’Equipe stated Emery’s side never stopped talking Paris Saint-Germain’s Marco Asensio. Monchi has confirmed Aston Villa’s interest in the 29-year-old Spaniard, who has struggled for regular minutes at PSG this season.

“It is a case similar to that of João Félix, there is also an important love relationship. A little before my arrival, Aston Villa tried to sign him and was close, but he went to PSG,” Monchi explained.

“He is always a player that Emery has kept in mind because he believes in his quality. Arsenal? I think they are more looking for a striker, because of the injuries they have had. What I do know is that Asensio is not playing.”