The unexpected destiny of João Félix to facilitate the signing of Julián Álvarez to Atlético

Atlético de Madrid has experienced a truly unexpected setback in this summer transfer window. Why? Everything pointed towards them closing the sale of forward Samu Omorodion to Chelsea. In fact, apparently the forward had passed medical evaluations while he was on duty with the U-21 national team at the Olympic Games in Paris. However, the deal has collapsed, posing a setback for the 'Colchoneros'. With this operation losing steam, it will likely delay their major move of the summer: the acquisition of the 'killer' from Manchester City, Julián Álvarez.

Now, why has this seemingly on-track operation collapsed, even with Conor Gallagher, another player involved, already part of some training sessions with the 'Rojiblancos'? Apparently, at the last minute, the 'Blues' have had some doubts about acquiring the Melilla striker and are exploring other avenues to finalize the deal.

The new and unexpected role of João Félix in this deal

In this regard, as shared by journalist Fabrizio Romano, in this quest for alternatives, if Samu Omorodion does not end up signing with the London side, the emerging candidate is João Félix. There is no doubt that the 'Indios' want to offload him. At the same time, Chelsea would be willing to add him back to their squad. It's worth noting that the Viseu-born player was at the London club in the 2022/23 season. Additionally, he has been performing well for Atlético in the 24/25 pre-season, scoring two goals in three matches.

At this stage, it is crucial for the Madrid-based club to unlock this operation. With the funds from the Portuguese player's sale, whose agent, Jorge Mendes, as stated by Romano, is in London negotiating the deal, they could significantly bolster their financial 'muscle' to secure the signing of Julián Álvarez. The latter arrived in Madrid last Sunday afternoon, and with these resources, they could immediately settle the amount demanded by Manchester City for the transfer.

The 'blow' FC Barcelona would suffer if this deal materializes

If this operation comes to fruition, FC Barcelona could face a double setback. The first, perhaps less 'painful', would be the loss of João Félix, a player considered strengthening their attacking line, although their interest has been waning as the summer progresses, especially with the acquisition of Dani Olmo.

The second 'blow', the hardest one, would be to forgo, for now, the option to incorporate the Argentine 'Spider', considered the star signing they planned to make in 2025. Moreover, it remains a fact that the arrival of the '9' from Calchín to Madrid would strengthen one of their main rivals in LaLiga EA Sports, at a price (€75M + €25M in variables) that, given the circumstances, perhaps wasn't as unreasonable to assume.