Joao Felix falters: Barca puts permanent deal on hold
- Barcelona to delay their plans to sign Joao Felix permanently.
- Joao Felix’s form has dipped, scoring just 3 goals in 15 games.
- Xavi’s defensive-focused tactics clash with Felix’s attacking style.
Due to concerns over Joao Felix’s form, FC Barcelona chose to postpone their plans to sign the Portuguese player to a permanent contract, according to a report published on Tuesday by the Spanish news agency SPORT.
Felix, a 24-year-old striker who was signed on a loan from Atletico Madrid, has only managed to score three goals in his last fifteen games.
With the UEFA Champions League knockout starting in February and the Spanish Super Cup starting on January 10, the team requires every player to give it their all in order to compete in all tournaments through to the very end.
After registering two goals and as many assists in his first four games at the Blaugrana, the Portuguese player faltered and began to perform poorly, which made it challenging for Xavi to maintain his team’s offensive rhythm.
Felix’s recent decline in form delayed Barcelona’s plans to speak with his entourage about the duration of his contract during the January transfer window.
It’s important to note that there were conflicting views inside the team during the summer when Barcelona attempted to recruit Felix on a loan, with Xavi being one among them.
There were rumors in the summer that Xavi was not happy with Felix’s defensive work rate, even though he recognized Felix’s attacking abilities. Felix is 24 years old.
Because of Xavi’s desire for his team to defend even with all of the players in transition, Ansu Fati, a former player for Barcelona, frequently did not make the starting lineup and was eventually sent on loan to Brighton, a Premier League team.
It is important to acknowledge that Felix’s lack of defensive contribution was a major factor in his failure to succeed at Atletico, even if the team paid a record €126 million for him.
