There has been plenty of talk surrounding Joao Felix potentially making a loan transfer to Manchester United this month.
For just a loan move, Atletico Madrid are reported to want £8 million, The Times reported, in addition to Felix’s wages being covered.
This led to another question. If Felix would cost £8 million, for just six months, then what kind of fee would Atletico demand for his signature permanently?
Considering the Spanish side paid a staggering £113 million to sign Felix in 2019, it was always going to a high demand. Now the figure they are seeking has been revealed.
READ: Confirmed Manchester United transfers in, out, loan deals for January 2023
Atletico reveal fee for Joao Felix in summer
A report in The Mirror claims Atletico are demanding £70.5 million from clubs looking for an obligation to buy Joao Felix permanently.
Manchester United are one of the sides they have been in contact to, with agent Jorge Mendes pulling the strings.
This is in addition to the loan fee, which The Mirror report has risen to £9.5 million, taking the total cost of the transfer to £80 million.
This is a lot of money for a player who has failed to set La Liga alight since his move to the club nearly four summers ago.
Felix has scored just 25 La Liga goals across this entire span, failing to reach double figures in the league in any of them.
The 23-year-old is clearly talented, he scored at the World Cup for Portugal, and netted against Manchester United in the Champions League last season, and against Erik ten Hag’s side in pre-season.
But there hasn’t been a consistency from him, and nor is it clear quite where his best position is, and how that would fit into Manchester United’s plans.
If Felix can turn into the world beater he has been touted to be, then £70.5 million might turn out to be a bargain, but it looks like this is a gamble another side will take instead.
United have not yet made a move for Felix, and at the weekend it was reported by Footmercato that Wout Weghorst could be the club’s January addition instead.