Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has stood by his decision to loan out Joao Felix to AC Milan, even as the Blues face attacking struggles following their FA Cup exit.
Chelsea bowed out of the competition in the fourth round after a 2-1 loss to Brighton, and with injuries piling up in attack, questions arose over Felix’s departure. The Portuguese forward, who Chelsea initially hesitated to send on loan, made an instant impact at Milan, scoring on his debut in a 3-1 win over Roma.
Felix was signed permanently from Atletico Madrid last summer for £46 million after a previous loan spell at Stamford Bridge. However, he struggled for game time this season, starting only three Premier League matches before his deadline-day move to Italy.
Despite Chelsea now being light on attacking options—especially after Nicolas Jackson’s injury—Maresca remains confident in his decision.
“I don’t think we miss Joao,” Maresca said after the FA Cup loss. “Joao is happy there, and we are happy he’s happy. We had two striker injuries on deadline day, which was difficult to anticipate. Nico [Jackson] will be back soon, and sometimes you need to play without players to realize their importance.”
Initially, Chelsea was only willing to part with Felix in a permanent deal or a loan with an obligation to buy. However, after super-agent Jorge Mendes intervened, the club agreed to a straight loan until the end of the season with no purchase clause.
Maresca explained his reasoning: “Players train every day and want to play all the time, but only 11 can start. He never complained and was always professional. It was purely my decision—we needed defensive balance. With so many attacking players, you risk conceding more, and I don’t like that.”
Interestingly, Barcelona reportedly rejected the opportunity to sign Felix before his Milan switch. The 25-year-old, who is under contract with Chelsea until 2031, has played 40 games for the club, scoring 11 goals and providing two assists.
Felix has shined in the UEFA Conference League this season, netting four times in five games. He also impressed in Chelsea’s 5-0 FA Cup win over Morecambe last month, bagging a brace.
Now thriving in Italy, Felix featured for 84 minutes in AC Milan’s recent 2-0 win over Empoli, marking his second appearance for the club. Milan manager Sergio Conceicao is thrilled to have him in the squad, saying, “Felix has so much quality. We all expect great things from him.”