The 25-year-old found himself out of favor at Stamford Bridge shortly after returning to Chelsea on a permanent seven-year contract. He had initially spent time on loan at Chelsea before moving to Barcelona on a similar deal. Following a transfer agreement worth just over £45 million with his former club Atlético Madrid, Félix was persuaded to return to London.
However, under manager Enzo Maresca, Félix was often sidelined, with Maresca preferring to use Jadon Sancho, Pedro Neto, and Noni Madueke in the Premier League. This left Félix mainly playing in Chelsea’s Conference League group stage matches, a competition in which the club were strong favorites to win.
On deadline day, Milan moved quickly to bring Félix to Italy, and the Portuguese international expressed his admiration for the club and his intent to make a permanent move during his unveiling press conference.
“I was aware of the greatness of this club—Milan is massive,” Félix told reporters. “From the outside, you can tell it’s a huge club, but when you’re inside, you realize you’re at one of the biggest clubs in Europe.”
He added, “I already knew the coach, I had played against him, and I followed him. I told him I wanted to play in my role. He didn’t promise whether I’d play a lot or a little, but he told me I’d play in my position. That was what convinced me to join Milan.”
Félix continued, “For now, I’m on loan until June. Let’s see how things go. At the moment, I’m really enjoying everything—the club, the people, the facilities. I’ve been welcomed very well. The most important thing is being where I feel comfortable, and I feel comfortable here.”
When asked about Inter’s interest, Félix confirmed that Milan’s local rivals had also shown an interest in him, but he had already committed to the Rossoneri.
“Yes, my agent told me about it,” Félix said. “He said that Inter was interested. But I had already started talking to Milan, and I had already decided to come here. I told him it would be impossible, as I had already made up my mind.”
Félix is a product of Benfica’s renowned academy and made his first-team debut at just 18 years old. After scoring 15 goals in 26 Primeira Liga appearances, Atlético Madrid quickly secured his services for a then-record €126 million (£113 million)—the fourth-highest transfer fee in history. He won La Liga in his second season at the club but ultimately struggled to live up to the high expectations associated with his hefty price tag.
