Zlatan Ibrahimovic has hinted at the possibility of AC Milan securing Joao Felix on a permanent deal this summer following his loan move from Chelsea.
Felix joined the Italian giants in January after struggling for regular minutes at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea had splashed £45m to sign him from Atletico Madrid last summer, but his role in Enzo Maresca’s squad remained uncertain due to the competition for attacking spots, particularly with England playmaker Cole Palmer in the mix.
With limited opportunities, Felix started only three Premier League matches before opting for a fresh start in Serie A, where Milan currently sit seventh. His move, however, did not include an obligation to buy.
Despite this, Ibrahimovic, now a key figure at the club, has not ruled out a permanent switch. Speaking to Sky, he stated, “Everything is possible. We trust Joao and want to see his best performances. Then, we’ll see.”
Chelsea may be open to offloading Felix to recover most of their investment, especially given his lack of impact at the club.
However, his impressive start at Milan—including a debut goal in a 3-1 victory over Roma suggests he could thrive in Italy.
Following his arrival, Ibrahimovic praised the Portuguese forward’s abilities. “He introduced himself with a magical goal,” he said.
“He’s a great talent with experience but still has room to grow. We needed a player to unlock tight games, and he has that magic.”
Felix himself was eager to make the move, citing Milan legend Kaka as his footballing idol. “I pushed hard to come here,” he revealed. “The fans’ warmth has been incredible, and I want to make them happy.”
Meanwhile, Chelsea’s injury struggles have worsened since his departure, with setbacks for Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu.
Despite this, Maresca remains firm on the decision to let Felix leave. “I don’t think we miss Joao,” he said. “He’s happy at Milan, and we’re happy he’s happy.”
With Chelsea’s struggles continuing including back-to-back defeats to Brighton could Felix’s Milan adventure turn into a permanent stay?