Chelsea and Atletico Madrid lastly accomplished the swap deal of the summer time Wednesday, with Joao Felix rejoining the Blues on a everlasting switch and Conor Gallagher heading to the Spanish capital.
Chelsea reportedly agreed to pay round €50 million for Felix, who beforehand spent a disappointing six-month mortgage spell at Stamford Bridge in the course of the second half of the 2022-23 season. That deal gave Atletico the funds to finish Gallagher’s transfer for a reported €42 million.
The transaction was liable to collapse as lately as final week. Chelsea had been reportedly planning to signal Atletico striker Samu Omorodion however switched their focus to Felix after talks with Omorodion broke down.
Gallagher reportedly spent a number of days ready in Madrid for his switch to be finalized, solely to return to west London final week to coach on his personal.
Felix is Chelsea’s tenth signing of the summer time window, bringing the membership’s complete spending above the £200-million mark, in response to transfermarkt.com.
“I am actually blissful to be again at Chelsea, and I am unable to wait to get began,” Felix advised Chelsea’s web site. “I can see some acquainted faces from the final time I used to be right here, which is all the time good.
“I cherished my time right here earlier than, and I advised my family and friends that I would like to return to the Premier League at some point. To try this with Chelsea is a superb feeling, and I am excited to be again.”
Regardless of captaining Chelsea frequently final season, Gallagher rapidly grew to become a sacrificial lamb for the membership, which has routinely bought off homegrown gamers for 100% revenue to fund extravagant signings.
Chelsea have reportedly spent over £1 billion within the 5 switch home windows since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital purchased the group from Roman Abramovich in Might 2022.