Lampard backs Chelsea into corner over £89m transfer with brutal call

At one point, Chelsea making Joao Felix’s loan move permanent at the end of the season simply looked a formality. That is evidently no longer the case. The tricky and technical Atletico Madrid forward has mustered just two Premier League goals since arriving at Stamford Bridge in January and now he has failed to convince caretaker boss Frank Lampard that he is worthy of a place in his starting XI.

Chelsea remain plunged deep into crisis and have nothing left to play for besides pride but still, Felix finds himself on the outside looking in despite the Blues’ repeated struggles in front of goal.

In the final weeks of Graham Potter’s tenure, Felix remained a mainstay in attack alongside Kai Havertz but now his six-month stay with Chelsea is threatening to end with a whimper and that poses serious doubts about whether he is worth the kind of cash Atletico will require this summer.

Reports in Spain suggest Atletico are looking for a whopping £89million for Felix, who has been identified as a player that can generate serious cash.

He arrived for a club-record £113m fee from Benfica in the summer of 2019 and given he is still only 23, he has hardly plummeted in value despite his failure to live up to expectations at the Wanda Metropolitano.

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The numbers involved really do not make sense for Chelsea given Felix has hardly set the world alight and it’s now clear the Blues need a prolific, goalscoring No.9 to transform their fortunes.

Felix is a wonderful talent but he is a second striker to attacking midfielder – something Chelsea are hardly short of.

Christopher Nkunku will also arrive in the summer from RB Leipzig and he is a player that operates in similar spaces to Felix, once again plummeting the Portuguese’s prospects of joining the Blues permanently into doubt.

But it cannot be underestimated how much of a role Lampard is now playing in any decision given he is seemingly unwilling to start the loanee despite frequently rotating his team.

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If Felix had finished the season strongly and sparkled in an uninspiring side, there was every chance Todd Boehly could throw big money at Atletico.

The unpredictable nature of the American owner means you still cannot rule out the permanent arrival of Felix but at this moment in time, it looks incredibly unlikely to say the least.

Chelsea will also have to shop smartly this summer when they will be under increased pressure to ensure they remain in compliance with FFP.

Player sales will be key to recouping funds but if Chelsea want to sign a world-class No.9 – they will have to pledge a large amount of cash to the operation.

Signing Felix plus another forward does not seem viable financially unless there is a significant moment in terms of outgoings, although that does seem probable.

Chelsea have endured a disastrous campaign but Felix has been involved in some of their performances in the second half of the season which is why Lampard’s continued omission of the Portugal international is truly hard to understand.

The former England international’s team selections have been incredibly negative given the abundance of attacking talent at Chelsea’s disposal.

It seems almost mind-boggling that just one recognised forward in Raheem Sterling was named in the starting XI against Brentford as the Blues’ rocky season took another turn for the worse.

A new Chelsea manager may feel they can get more from Felix and that could ultimately play a part in the club’s final transfer call this summer but Lampard’s failure to warm to the forward suggests the writing is now on the wall.

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