Aston Villa target Joao Felix is now in contact with Chelsea over a possible return to Stamford Bridge this summer.
Throughout the summer transfer window, Aston Villa have been linked to Joao Felix, who is looking to exit Atletico Madrid before deadline day.
The 24-year-old was said to be a ‘dream’ target for Unai Emery however, it now looks like a return to Chelsea could be on the cards.
Felix spent the second half of the 2022/23 campaign on loan with the Blues in the Premier League, with the West Londoners said to be in contact with the player’s agent once more.
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Aston Villa should look at Morgan Gibbs-White as a Joao Felix alternative
There were always going to be some financial reservations regarding a possible move for Felix, who is a high earner at Atletico Madrid.
Added to his wage demands and transfer fee, the Villans would also be wary of the player’s lapse in form over the past few years, seeing him fall down the pecking order in Madrid after falling out with Diego Simeone.
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Emery could avoid the concerning finances, form and off-pitch antics of Felix by simply looking elsewhere this summer, with one Premier League star surely worth exploring.
Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White is a player who fits the profile of what the Spaniard could be looking at in Felix, with the Englishman being a proven top-quality playmaker in the Premier League.
Forest signed Gibbs-White from Wolves in 2022 for a fee that just crept over £42m however, very few at the City Ground would argue that his talent was not worth the price.
Gibbs-White could actually be a Felix upgrade
Last season, the Stafford-born star contributed to an impressive 15 goals for Nuno Santo’s side, who were threatened by relegation throughout the campaign.
The attacking midfielder, who can play centrally or off the right, is as creative as top Premier League playmakers come, as he recorded a magnificent 10 assists in the league last term.
| Morgan Gibbs-White | Joao Felix | |
| Goals | 5 | 7 |
| Assists | 10 | 3 |
| Big chances created | 16 | 6 |
| Key passes per game | 2.0 | 0.6 |
Given what Villa are looking for in a suitable replacement for Moussa Diaby and a player compatible with Ollie Watkins, Gibbs-White could be the perfect solution to the club missing out on Felix.
As seen in the table above, it could even be argued that the Englishman would be an upgrade on the Atletico Madrid outsider, who has struggled for form over the past few years.
Given how Gibbs-White has thrived at Forest, it would be assumed that the Reds would demand a profitable fee for the midfielder, which could make a deal difficult for Monchi to work however, it would be a transaction worth exploring.
Only time will tell if Villa turn their attention to an alternative to Felix, with Gibbs-White’s CV surely something that would impress Emery.
