According to Spanish outlet AS, Chelsea have put their pursuit of Saúl Ñíguez on hold as they are now strongly interested in Portuguese star João Félix.
Atlético Madrid’s summer transfer strategy may face a last-minute change. Chelsea were initially planning to sign Ñíguez, but now that plan seems to have been shelved, at least for now. The initial news indicated that the agreement had fallen apart due to a failure to agree on financial terms, but the reality is that Chelsea has shifted its target in recent hours, now showing strong interest in Atlético’s João Félix.
Saúl had already completed his medical in Paris, as he was with the U21 national team preparing for the Olympics. His transfer was expected to be completed after the official announcement of Gallagher joining Atlético, two separate but interconnected deals.
Since the early hours of Thursday, Gallagher has been in Madrid waiting for the official announcement, even training with Atlético players, with the club’s social media even posting pictures of him at the Metropolitano Stadium. However, the turning point came with Félix.
Because in recent hours, Chelsea have made it clear they are interested in signing the Portuguese player, who spent time on loan at Chelsea from January to June 2023. In fact, the player’s agent, Jorge Mendes, was in London on Sunday evening negotiating with Chelsea executives.
Currently, Chelsea and Atlético are discussing a deal that would see Félix’s transfer included as part of the Gallagher deal. Both clubs want to avoid any breakdowns in agreements and do not want to see the Gallagher transfer to Atlético be blocked.
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