It's goodbye for the 'Joao' at FC Barcelona. Until Tuesday, August 20, the Portuguese footballers appeared on the team's website as players of the club, but they have already been eliminated, which would make it clear that they will not return to Barcelona this summer, especially since Félix has reportedly reached an agreement to sign for Chelsea.
The curious thing here is that both continued to be part of the club's official website, taking into account that their loans ended on June 30. It is also striking that Dani Olmo has not yet appeared, because Pau Víctor is present with the number 18. Perhaps everything will be resolved when the Blaugrana board manages to register him for the 2024/25 LaLiga season.
The future of Joao Félix
Of the two, it was clear that Félix would not return to Barcelona. Atletico Madrid were determined to sell him and it seems that they have finally succeeded, after agreeing a transfer with Chelsea. Joao is already in London to join Enzo Maresca's team in an exchange that includes Connor Gallagher, who will be under Diego Simeone's orders.
According to information from 'AS', the operation would have been carried out for 50 million euros fixed plus 10 in variables. The 24-year-old player will sign a contract for six seasons and already knows the English club well, as he was loaned for a year between 2022 and 2023, where he played 20 games and scored four goals. A definitive goodbye then to the Blaugrana team.
What will happen to Cancelo?
Cancelo's case is more complex. His return is not yet 100% ruled out, because the player made it clear to Manchester City that he wants to return to Barcelona. However, the English do not want any more simple loans and the player does not want to lower his salary of 14 million euros per season again. This refusal will prevent him from returning to a Barcelona that wants to free up wages, so his future could be elsewhere.
In addition, Hansi Flick would not mind not having him in his ranks, because he has decided to trust Jules Kounde at right back, so the doors are increasingly closing for him. His next club could be in Saudi Arabia, because Neymar Jr's Al-Hilal are interested in his services. The Arabs would guarantee his salary and play regularly, so it would be a great option for the Portuguese. Will he move to another part of the world? We will know very soon.