Chelsea’s Felix on verge of £44m Al Nassr move to unite with Ronaldo

Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr are reportedly close to finalising a deal worth around £44 million for Portuguese forward Joao Felix, who joined Chelsea permanently last summer, a skysports report said on Sunday.

The 25-year-old made a permanent switch to Stamford Bridge from Atletico Madrid for a fee in the region of £45 million following an earlier loan spell in 2023. However, Felix struggled to cement a place in Chelsea's starting lineup during both his loan and permanent stints.

Felix spent the second half of last season on loan at AC Milan, where he registered three goals across 19 appearances. The temporary move also earned Chelsea a reported £5 million loan fee.

While former club Benfica had shown interest in bringing Felix back, it is Al-Nassr who have stepped up their pursuit as they continue to bolster their squad. The Riyadh-based club recently extended Cristiano Ronaldo's contract and appointed veteran Portuguese manager Jorge Jesus, underlining their ambitions to claim the Saudi Pro League title.

A successful sale of Felix would allow Chelsea to recoup nearly all of their initial investment and provide financial room to push ahead with potential incoming transfers. Among their targets is RB Leipzig attacker Xavi Simons, though any progress on that front remains contingent on further player exits.