Atletico Madrid willing to sell Joao Felix, PSG "in pole position"

On Tuesday, before the World Cup game between Spain and Morocco, Atletico Madrid owner Miguel Angel Gil Marin confirmed his club's intention of selling Joao Felix as soon as possible.

Atletico Madrid is willing to sell the Portugal international in the next transfer window if the right offer arrives, with PSG having shown interest in the player for months on end.

Speaking to TVE in Spanish television, Gil Marin acknowledged that he "would love for (Joao Felix) to continue in the club" before saying that "the player's thoughts are not those."

With those latest statements, Atletico Madrid has pretty much given up on retaining their most-expensive transfer ever (€127M) and are expected to work out a transfer deal with interested clubs in the near future.

A few days ago, Joao Felix's agent Jorge Mendes informed Atletico Madrid about the player's intention to leave the Spanish capital next January. Gil Marin's words align with those reports, with Atletico Madrid's president giving them legitimacy in a very public way.

Atletico Madrid's owner Gil Marin confirmed the interest of Joao Felix in leaving the club. PSG seem poised to make a run at signing him in January

"It is the greatest bet we've made at Atletico Madrid," said Gil Marin proudly. "I think Felix is a top talent but given his relationship with the coach (Diego Simeone), the minutes he's playing, and his lack of motivation... the best for the club is to at least analyze any option that benefits the player, ourselves, and his future club."

Moretto's summary of the situation (as shown in the Tweet embed above) reds like this:

- PSG lead the race having made the first moves to acquire Joao Felix
- Jorge Mendes (Felix's agent) has talked to Chelsea, Bayern, Arsenal, and Manchester United.
- There is a strong relationship between Jorge Mendes and agent Kia Joorabchian who could facilitate a move
- Atletico Madrid asking for a fee of around €130-140M€
- Completely broken relationship between Felix and coach Diego Simeone
- Joao Felix wants to join a top club

After demolishing Switzerland on Tuesday, reporters from Gol Mundial in Spain asked Joao Felix about his future. "I am focused on the World Cup. I have not asked my agent, and my agent isn't telling me anything," said Felix.

"The important thing now is to be focused on the World Cup."

Back at the start of November, Matteo Moretto (writing for Revelo) first reported the interest of PSG in acquiring Joao Felix. "They are thinking about it, but there is something brewing between PSG, Atletico Madrid, and Felix," said Moretto back then.

"The French club are already working on a deal through the player's agent, fellow Portuguese Jorge Mendes."

While Joao Felix has a release clause quoted at €350M, anything in the ballpark of €140M is expected to be enough for Atletico Madrid to consider selling him this January.

Although nothing is set in stone yet, Moretto said in November that "conversations are already there" between PSG and Atletico Madrid, highlighting the fact that "(PSG sporting director) Luis Campos is fond of Joao Felix while also having a good relation with Jorge Mendes."

In his latest report for Relevo, Moretto has made very clear that "Atletico Madrid are not planning on gifting Joao Felix (at a low price)," though.

According to Moretto, PSG is "in the pole position" to acquire the Portugal international. That's mostly because of the "good relationship between Mendes and Luis Campos" while other clubs pursuing Joao Felix, with the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal, Bayern Munich, and Man Utd. among them, "are trailing PSG."