AC Milan have decided to go for Kyle Walker over Marcus Rashford, and that will also see their main forward target pivot as a result.
This morning’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) is reporting that Walker is ‘one step away’ from joining the Rossoneri and he will ‘almost certainly’ arrive. They suggest that the formula will be a €1m loan with an option to buy set at €5m, rather than a permanent deal now.
What it means – given that Milan can only register one English player this window – is that Joao Felix’s stock is soaring. The Portuguese is a specific request from Sergio Conceiçao who knows him very well and would gladly include him in his attack.
The new Milan boss likes his versatility, given the Chelsea man can play as an attacking midfielder and as a left winger in a 4-2-3-1 formation, or as a second striker in a 4-4-2.
It was the former Porto coach who suggested Felix on Thursday during a meeting to speak about transfer strategy, and the directors are doing everything possible to satisfy the request.
Having understood that the Rashford affair would drag on because the Englishman hopes to join Barcelona and because Manchester United (for now) want 75% of his €13.5m net salary covered, the Diavolo have started working on Felix.
The forward is represented by Jorge Mendes, Conceiçao’s agent, which cannot harm things. Félix was initially at Porto’s youth academy, before moving to rivals Benfica in 2015.
This season with the Blues he has seven goals and two assists in 19 games, but has played a marginal role in the Premier League.
Bring him. End of the day if conceicao wants him then we need to back him and grant his wishes. I prefer him over Rashford. Felix does go missing in games but he has shown hunger when his played for chelsea this year. His different type of player to our wingers, he is also good support striker, much more creative and direct than morata. In 442 he can play multiple roles. Lets see if chelsea budge because he is a great backup to Palmer albeit an expensive one!
Our former #10s went missing quite often too. RLC has been missing all season. No way Felix would or even could do worse. I hope they can find a way to get him – even for only 6 months as we need quality players to qualify to UCL. We cannot afford not to qualify as everyone sure knows it.
Italian football styles don’t give the number 10 roles visibility, rather than deeper down the field, they should go for players who can switch at both roles , that why kessie was better for Italian league, though might be costly when playing in the European league.
Check the likes of hakan, pirlo, micki even fofana are all excelling deep down the field
“They suggest that the formula will be a €1m loan with an option to buy set at €5m, rather than a permanent deal now.”
Awesome!!! I mean, zero risk deal. If (LOL!) he turns out to better than the RBs we’ve got, we’ve fixed the problematic RB position for 1,5 years. If not, his loan and salary won’t make us bankrupt either. Win-win. If true, this might be the best piece of business our current management has done.
If he does come, I’ll buy a round beer for everyone as it would mean benching Emerson. It’s like Christmas came REALLY early this year (or late from last year). Either way, I’d be thrilled.
Felix would be perfect for Conceicao’s systems. It makes a 4-4-2 viable, he would be able to replicate something like the Taremi and Evanilson pair, with Feliz and Morata/Abraham where one striker plays further deep as a reference and then a second striker who can move around a lot and be more unpredictable, provide assists etc. Felix does not have a huge goal output but he’s exactly the type of player that can open super compact defensive systems because he has a lot of quality, and he does seem to make a difference more against those type of rivals, which are the ones the team is struggling with the most the season. He can be a solution to that while at the same time being the right company for whoever plays alongside with him either Morata or Abraham so they can have more/better chances and he’s still a young player. He can play on the left as well as a substitute of/alternative to Leao, which means he’d be a great replacement for Okafor when he leaves as both can play the same positions. I know a lot of people probably won’t want him, but in the right conditions I’m sure he will be an amazing signing.
I’ll copy-paste what I’ve written previously with slight modifications, since my opinion didn’t really change since then
João Félix had some hype surrounding him for a while but in my opinion he never lived up to it. Aside from that 2018/29 season with Benfica, he was more downs that ups, always failing to reach that 10th goal in la Liga with either Barcelona or Atletico Madrid. Now one can say that Atletico’s super defensive approach and Chelsea & Barcelona being a mess didn’t exactly allow him to express his talent to its full potential but what exactly are we seeing in him in order to go for him ?
You can say that he is a very versatile player capable of playing as a CF, SS, LW and perhaps even a RW, hence giving us more option when it comes to rotation, but isn’t his versatility more due to him being so damn average that it doesn’t matter where you put him (kind of like Musah for most of the last season) ? In the end in his best season ever with Benfica, he was mainly a SS and rarely played elsewhere.
Now I don’t where it’s true or not that Conceição wants him specifically, and I’m generally in the position that coaches should be allowed to pick the players they want to use but in my opinion if we manage to offload Okafor and Jovic and make a very cheap deal for João Félix or a loan, I’d say why not. Plus if we might end up shifting to a 4-4-2 we might need support strikers and Félix is exactly that. I still think this is a better idea than Rashford anyways who is a left-winger, too expensive and not very good attitude.
But I’m still worried that we have yet to purchase any player and that our midfield, our most urgent department, has yet to receive any reinforcement.
Giga, totally aggree about Felix. His performances have been against non-PL teams. He always looks like he’s going to do more then he does. He didn’t make it at Athletico or Chelsea despite being given chances.
Good points by everyone. January market is always hard. I would of love for us to go for Asensio but his on similar money to Rashford at PSG. We can try to bring back Maldini but we know americans hate the Maldini dynasty.
Felix is different player when he plays for Portugal. More direct and confident. If conceicao can get that Felix to play consistently then we have a great player on our hands.
Finally, mids is our issue but i honestly think return of bennacer is like a new signing. His still rusty but we’ll come good. RLC has been disappointing this year and im not fan of musah. I dont rate him. We should give Zeroli a chance for remainder of the year before going for Ricci.
The problem with Musah is he is never allowed to establish consistency because he is playing in a new role every other game. He has proven he can be a difference maker in matches. I think with a run of matches in one position, we’ll see more consistency in his game.
The real problem with Musah is that he cannot play football. He lacks the skills and the football-IQ. He doesn’t know what to do with the ball. And can’t handle it either.
Felix is good & his brilliance will help our attack. Get him please. Grant the coach wish please
Milan need also a new goalkeeper to replace Mike Maignan who is catastrophal.
Furlani: “sorry ceicao, we have 20 million cap transfer fee. Felix too expensive. You can not get what you wish.”
How can our manager hate Italians?
That’s the number 1 question
No good players in Italy but u can’t win them
No good coach in Italy and attacking foot ball yet Atlanta and Roman left Europa League recently
Conte is too expensive ,he will demand for high profile players and he is playing attacking football in Napoli in Italian style and he is on top of the table right now
And yet Milan kept people who are not yet qualified to be in sertin position in the club to make decisions