Joao Felix can still ‘change any game’ – Can a move to Arsenal, Chelsea or Manchester United revitalise him?

At this stage, over three years after the deal was done, it’s safe to say that Atletico Madrid smashing their transfer record to pay Benfica €126m for Joao Felix has not worked out.

Felix was supposed to be the player who did two things. Firstly he would announce Atletico as a consistent player at the top table in world football, a big spender and a contender for titles both in Spain and in Europe. Secondly he was supposed to signal a shift in playing style, as Atletico and Diego Simeone evolved into a team that could dominate games, not just smother them.

Neither of these things has really happened. Yes, Atleti did win the league the season before last, as well as reaching the Champions League quarter-finals in 2021-22, but they were dumped out of a weak group in bottom position this season and they are already a whopping 11 points behind joint-leaders Barcelona and Real Madrid in La Liga. In fact, with Real Sociedad, Athletic Club, Real Betis and Villarreal all having fine seasons, they have a real battle on their hands just to secure a place in the top four.

That brings us to Felix. Anyone who watches Atletico on a regular basis can see that things are extremely awkward between player and manager. Simeone has never quite figured out how to use Felix properly and for his part the player has never really quite fully bought into what the manager wants in the way Antoine Griezmann and Alvaro Morata have.

So who’s to blame? Player? Manager? Or both?

“From my point of view, blame is divided equally between Felix and Simeone,” explains Felix Martin of Eurosport Spain, speaking from Madrid.

“At the end of the day the Portuguese striker is a professional footballer and it is his obligation to adapt to what his coach asks him.

“And on the other hand, it is also Simeone’s obligation to know that Joao Felix is a different type of player than those he usually deals with. And, as such, he should most likely have been treated differently.”

So that brings us to Felix’s future.

But Felix is still just 23. Can he be salvaged? Or is it a case of the crucial part of his development being wasted?

“Despite starting his fourth season at Atletico Madrid we must not forget that Felix is still 23 years old, that he is a very young player and that he has a lot of merit,” continues Martin.

“He is perfectly settled in the elite of football and is identified as a player with a huge potential.

“We have seen during the World Cup in Qatar that, if they give him enough confidence, Joao Felix can be one of those players who with a flash of quality can solve any game.”

That is all well and good but how does one get the best out of him? Well, finding the right position for him might help. Felix has been deployed all over the attacking line in his career but he normally plays as a primary striker, secondary striker or a No. 10. Moving about probably hasn’t helped him.

For Martin, he thinks playing off another striker is the way to get the best out of Felix.

“I see him playing behind the centre forward,” he explains. “He is a player of extraordinary quality with a lot of ability to make final passes, reading the game to find team-mates and creating dangerous situations.”

Martin adds that he thinks Felix has not found the proper appreciation at Atleti.

“Joao Felix is a delicate player, a misunderstood artist at Atletico Madrid. A player whose qualities are far from the profile of ‘soldier’ that Cholo Simeone needs for his starting XI.

“He is a player who has to be cared for and treated like a diamond, because his potential is extraordinary.”

Martin went into more detail about the way in which a new team could use Felix in different systems.

“First of all, if he was used alone, I think it should be done as a false nine,” says Martin. “It is well known that a striker must occupy the centre-backs. This is a task that Felix, due to his physique, cannot fulfil. However, he could create a lot of danger playing with the freedom of a false nine.

“The second option would be to use him, as I suggested earlier, as a second striker behind the centre forward, who would take care of occupying the central defenders to give Joao Felix freedom.”

And what of the Atleti fans? They have grown accustomed to the “soldiers” that Martin mentioned above. Will they be sad to see him go?

“I think Atletico Madrid fans will be disappointed because they expected a much more differential player. And as such I do not think they will have any problem with his departure.”

Now all that remains to be seen is Felix’s next destination…