Barcelona will push to sign Joao Felix in the summer if Atletico fail to qualify for UCL

Barcelona’s pursuit of a new striker has been well documented. The Catalans are eyeing a new number nine who can further strengthen the attacking setup, with the likes of Erling Haaland, Mohamed Salah and Robert Lewandowski emerging as top targets.

Barça haven’t had much success pursuing any of them, though, with Haaland and Salah likely to cost a fortune, while the club do not want to get into trouble with Bayern Munich by forcing a move for Lewandowski.

In light of such uncertainty, the Barcelona board has targeted an ideal alternative, in the form of Joao Felix, reports SPORT.

The Blaugrana have been monitoring the progress of the Atletico Madrid forward for quite some time now. His exceptional quality in possession, coupled with his footwork and technical brilliance are tailor-made for Xavi’s tactical philosophy.

Atletico Madrid currently have no intention to sell Felix in the summer. But the player’s agent Jorge Mendes is expected to push for his exit if Barcelona can snatch a top-four finish in La Liga and secure Champions League football next season.

Mendes is also likely to facilitate the exit of other clients such as Goncalo Guedes, Adama Traore and Trincao, so we could potentially witness a transfer merry-go-round in the summer.

Felix himself could fancy a move to Camp Nou, as his technical skill and overall style of play could make him an excellent fit under Xavi’s philosophy.

He could occupy the right wing or even the number nine position, potentially emerging as Barcelona’s ideal replacement for Lionel Messi.

However, the operation will be extremely difficult as Atletico Madrid would want to recoup most of the €120 million they spent on Felix a few years ago. Perhaps a lot could depend on how Barça manage to offload their unwanted transfer and generate revenue this summer.