Pochettino’s Chelsea Era Begins with a Bold Statement: Joao Felix to Return to Atletico Madrid

Chelsea’s new gaffer Mauricio Pochettino appears to be making his mark early in his tenure at Stamford Bridge, making the decisive call to bid adieu to loanee Joao Felix. The Atletico Madrid starlet won’t be making his move to Chelsea a permanent one, as per the Spanish outlet Marca.

Pochettino’s Chelsea Vision Omits Joao Felix

Felix, who took his first bow as a Chelsea player in January, netted four goals across 20 appearances for the Blues. Yet, his relatively lukewarm performance hasn’t convinced the Argentine manager to consider him in his plan for the club.

“Yesterday we had the news that the new Chelsea manager does not [want] Felix,” Enrique Cerezo, Atletico Madrid president, shared with AS. He added, “We don’t have anything planned.”

Felix, once the fifth most expensive player in football history, was secured by Atletico Madrid for a whopping £113m from Benfica back in 2019. Despite notching 34 goals in 131 appearances and playing a pivotal role in securing the 2020-21 La Liga title, his time in London seems to be drawing to a close.

A Return to Madrid Beckons

Pochettino’s decision to forego Felix hints at his intention to build a squad aligning with his own philosophy. A challenging season lies behind the Portuguese star, who, despite showing glimpses of his true potential, failed to establish himself as a must-have for the new Chelsea boss.

Following Marca’s revelation, Cerezo confirmed the young attacker’s return to Spain. “The truth is that I can’t tell you the plan with Joao. It’s the news we had yesterday, that the new coach doesn’t have him for Chelsea. We don’t have anything planned yet, Joao is an Atletico player now,” he stated.

Chelsea’s Future: What Lies Ahead?

In a season where Chelsea saw their lowest Premier League points tally, Felix managed to score four goals in 16 appearances. However, the attacking dynamo has seemingly fallen out of favour with Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid, making only seven league starts before his January move to Chelsea.

As Pochettino embarks on his journey at Stamford Bridge, it seems the Blues are already eyeing up fresh talent, with RB Leipzig’s Christopher Nkunku set to sign on the dotted line. The upcoming summer transfer window promises a flurry of activity as Chelsea seek to revitalise and reshape their squad under the new boss.