'It is on both sides' - Benfica coach says he'd love to have Joao Felix back

João Félix's future at Chelsea appears increasingly bleak after the Portuguese forward was conspicuously omitted from Enzo Maresca's squad for the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States.

This exclusion, coupled with his shirt number (14) being assigned to new signing Dario Essugo, signals a strong intent from Chelsea to offload the player.

Félix spent the first half of the 2024-25 season with Chelsea before being sent on loan to AC Milan for the second half.

His time at Stamford Bridge was largely unproductive, and his loan spell in Italy also yielded minimal impact, with reports indicating he scored just three goals in 21 appearances for Milan.

With no permanent deal materialising from the Italian club and opportunities seemingly scarce in London, a return to his former club, Benfica, has emerged as a realistic possibility.

Benfica head coach Bruno Lage has openly confirmed the club's interest in re-signing Félix, acknowledging the player's own desire to return to his roots.

Lage was quick to caution that the financial conditions required to finalise any deal remain the primary obstacle.

"Joao has already spoken about this situation, all the players would like to return to Benfica," Lage told reporters.

He continued, "We have to create the opportunity and they have to show that they want to come to Benfica. We have to bring these two desires together.

“The financial aspect is very important. Joao left four years ago for €120 million and now there is a cost, whether it is a loan or a percentage of the transfer fee.

“On the other hand, there is the player's salary. There is a lot of desire, but there is also the financial aspect, it is on both sides."

Félix initially departed Benfica for Atlético Madrid in 2019 in a blockbuster transfer worth €120 million (£101m/$130m).