Benfica Transfer: Felix Reunion Nears as €20m Deal Looms

Benfica transfer negotiations have burst back into life, with the Lisbon giants readying a €20 million proposal to buy 50 percent of Joao Felix’s rights from Chelsea and welcome their prodigal son home. After half a season on loan at Barcelona, the 24-year-old forward is eager to reboot his career in familiar surroundings at the Estádio da Luz—even if that means accepting a sizeable wage reduction to make the numbers work.

Benfica transfer bid built on familiarity and finances

The Portuguese champions know exactly what they would be getting. Felix, who left Benfica for Atlético Madrid in 2019 for a club-record €126 million, remains one of the most gifted attackers to emerge from their academy. Since then, however, his career has lurched from brilliance to frustration. Brief flashes at Atlético and a mixed 2023-24 loan spell at Barcelona left Chelsea sensing an opportunity to off-load part of his rights while still retaining future upside on a resale.

How the 50-percent ownership model works

Under the proposal tabled by sporting director Rui Costa, Benfica would pay Chelsea €20 million up-front for half of Felix’s registration. That would give the Blues an immediate cash injection and a veto on future sales, while Benfica shoulder only half of the risk—and gain a ready-made star for their Portuguese title defence and Champions League push. This kind of shared-ownership arrangement, common in South America, is rare in the Premier League but perfectly legal so long as the second club—Chelsea in this case—does not influence sporting decisions once Felix arrives.

Felix willing to sacrifice salary for regular minutes

Sources close to the player confirm that Felix has agreed in principle to reduce his current £180,000-per-week salary to around £115,000. Benfica’s wage ceiling is typically lower, but the deal could be sweetened by performance bonuses and a lucrative image-rights package tied to shirt sales. Felix’s camp view this as an essential step to reignite his stalling trajectory and force his way back into Roberto Martínez’s Portugal XI ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Strategic fit: Schmidt’s system made for Felix

Coach Roger Schmidt deploys a fluid 4-2-3-1 that relies on intelligent line-breaking passes and mobile forwards—traits Felix showcased during his breakout 2018-19 season at Benfica, when he tallied 20 goals and 11 assists in all competitions. With Rafa Silva leaving on a free transfer and Ángel Di María entering the twilight of his career, the Eagles need fresh creativity between the lines. Felix would slot into the No. 10 role behind Danish striker Casper Tengstedt or roam from the left, giving Schmidt the unpredictability his attack sometimes lacked last term.

Financial dominoes: Almada and more

The Felix pursuit does not exist in isolation. Benfica have also opened talks with Botafogo over a €15 million deal for Argentine playmaker Thiago Almada, currently on loan from Atlanta United. Club insiders insist only one marquee signing will arrive unless significant sales occur—most likely the departure of centre-back António Silva, heavily courted by Manchester United and Real Madrid. Should Silva leave for a fee north of €80 million, Benfica could conceivably land both Felix and Almada without violating their wage structure.

The Chelsea angle: trimming the bloated roster

Chelsea’s post-Todd Boehly rebuild has produced an oversized squad and mounting wage commitments. Selling 50 percent of Felix offers sporting director Laurence Stewart immediate Financial Fair Play relief while allowing the club to benefit if Felix’s value soars back in Portugal. Chelsea would likely insert a buy-back clause or a first-refusal option to protect their investment, an arrangement Benfica have previously accepted with European heavyweights.

What could derail the move?

Two factors could scupper a Felix return. First, Atlético Madrid still hold a sell-on clause estimated at 20 percent of any future profit Chelsea make on the forward. Negotiations are ongoing about whether that clause applies to partial transfers. Second, Felix’s preference for Champions League football is aligned with Benfica, but rival interest from Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain could escalate if those clubs off-load fringe attackers in July.

Timeline and next steps

• June 10: Benfica to submit formal €20 million written offer.
• June 15: Chelsea board meeting to approve or reject shared-ownership model.
• June 20: Player expected in Lisbon for medical if green light given.
• July 1: Official unveiling and integration into pre-season camp in Seixal.

Historical echoes of a Benfica transfer masterstroke

Supporters draw parallels with the 2014 return of Rui Costa as sporting director, when he engineered the repatriation of Ljubomir Fejsa and Nicolas Gaitán, helping Benfica clinch back-to-back titles. Bringing Felix home would be a similarly shrewd move—one backed by the club’s healthy cash reserves after recent big-money exits like Enzo Fernández and Darwin Nuñez.

Stat snapshot: Felix at a glance

• Age: 24
• Senior caps for Portugal: 34
• Goals/assists last season (Barcelona): 10/6 in 41 appearances
• Career honours: La Liga (2021), Nations League (2019), Taça de Portugal (2019)

If ink meets paper, Felix will return to the same Estádio da Luz where, five years earlier, he announced himself with a Europa League hat-trick against Eintracht Frankfurt. Benfica faithful will hope history repeats itself—this time on Europe’s grandest stage.

Final word: why this Benfica transfer makes sense

The move ticks every box: financial prudence for Benfica, squad streamlining for Chelsea, and—most critically—a platform for Joao Felix to rediscover the swagger that once made him Europe’s most coveted youngster. If all parties maintain momentum, Lisbon could soon be celebrating the homecoming of a favourite son.

Opinion: Benfica’s willingness to innovate financially shows how smart clubs must be in today’s hyper-inflated market. By sharing risk yet securing talent, the Eagles prove ambition does not need to bow to reckless spending. Felix, for his part, earns respect for prioritising playing time over paycheques—an example some of Europe’s pampered stars would do well to follow.