Joao Felix: Chelsea forward set to join Al-Nassr – so what next?

With Felix clearly not having a future at Chelsea, even being left out of their Fifa Club World Cup squad this summer, there was talk of him returning to Benfica.

A chance to go home and try to rediscover the magic from the start of his career. The romantic move.

“The whole world knows that Benfica is my favourite team. It’s my home. One day I will return. I don’t know if it’s now or in a few years, but if it were now I would be very happy. There are two options: either I stay in England or I return to Benfica,” he said earlier in July., external

Benfica boss Bruno Lage warned publicly that Felix could have to take a pay cut to make the move happen.

And… instead, he is off to Saudi Arabia and Al-Nassr, where he will play under ex-Benfica boss Jorge Jesus and alongside Portugal legend Ronaldo.

“Regardless of how much effort his PR team does [about those Portuguese links] – that was certainly not where you pictured him going in those Benfica days,” said Alves.

“Earlier this month, he told local TV that he was inclined to return to the Lisbon giants. That made a lot of sense – he would be, after all, reunited with the manager that took the most out of him in his career so far, Bruno Lage. “

Balague said: “We say [in Spain] head of a rat instead of tail of a lion.

“He’s not consistent enough, doesn’t work hard enough, doesn’t fit the new position in football that has become the predominant model of our times – because it requires responsibilities and obligations he’s not willing to do.”

Felix has won two Nations Leagues with Portugal and scored nine goals in 45 caps.

Alves added: “The feeling is those six months of incredible football at Benfica will be the best you’ve seen from him. That’s why it’s so frustrating to see him heading at 25 to Saudi football.”