A/Madrid confirm signing of teen sensation Joao Felix for £114m
Atletico Madrid have smashed their own transfer record by making 19-year-old Joao Felix the fourth most expensive player in history.
The club confirmed on Wednesday that they would pay Benfica £114million for the Portuguese forward.
Only Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Philippe Coutinho have cost more with Atletico paying slightly over the release clause of £107m to enable them to buy the teenager in instalments.
It beats their previous biggest spend – £62m on Thomas Lemar – and sees them use the money they stand to gain for Antoine Griezmann’s imminent departure to Barcelona in one fell swoop.
The signing also comes on the same day midfielder Rodri, along with representatives of Manchester City, deposited his £63m release clause.
The capture of Joao Felix gives Diego Simeone the centre-piece of his radically changed team for next season. Atletico have already lost captain Diego Godin, veteran Juanfran, midfielder Rodri and striker Griezmann.
Joao Felix will partner Alvaro Morata or Diego Costa in attack in place of the Frenchman. ‘We want a kid who is young and can absorb our ideas,’ said Simeone in an interview with Fox Sports recently.
Atletico announced the signing on Twitter with a lengthy video, revealing Felix’s identity at the end.
The unveiling of Felix was a clip that initially concealed his identity as he strolled around the Prado Museum in Madrid