Benfica head coach Bruno Lage is eager to strike a deal to convey Joao Felix again to the membership, although he acknowledged the monetary challenges in signing the Chelsea ahead.
Joao Felix left the Primeira Liga aspect in 2019 to affix Atletico Madrid in a transfer price €126m.
But after failing to cement his place in Diego Simeone’s staff, Joao Felix was loaned out to Chelsea, earlier than then becoming a member of Barcelona for the 2023-24 marketing campaign.
The Portugal attacker subsequently transferred to Chelsea on a everlasting deal final yr, however struggled to make an influence and spent the again half of the season on mortgage at AC Milan.
His time at Chelsea seems to be over, with Enzo Maresca leaving the 25-year-old out of his Membership World Cup squad, and handing his quantity 14 shirt to new signing Dario Essugo.
That has raised curiosity from Benfica, whose boss Lage expressed his want to convey Joao Felix again to his boyhood membership.
“Joao has already spoken about this example, all of the gamers want to return to Benfica,” Lage instructed reporters. “We now have to create the chance, they usually have to point out that they need to come to Benfica.
“We now have to convey these two wishes collectively. The monetary facet is essential. Joao left years in the past for €120m, and now there’s a value, whether or not it’s a mortgage or a proportion of the switch price.
“However, there may be the participant’s wage. There’s quite a lot of want, however there may be additionally the monetary facet; it’s on each side.”
He began simply three video games for Chelsea final season earlier than his mortgage to Milan, the place he discovered the online simply twice in 15 appearances.
That’s in stark distinction to Joao Felix’s final marketing campaign at Benfica, when he scored 15 instances, together with seven assists, in 26 outings in the course of the 2018-19 season.