Joao Felix is eager to return to Benfica after being made available for transfer by Chelsea. He rose through Benfica’s ranks and expressed a strong emotional connection to the club, stating, "I want to go home, my home is Benfica." After a lackluster performance at clubs including Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, and Chelsea, Felix seeks a permanent exit from Chelsea. Although he may have to accept a pay cut, he values a reunion with coach Bruno Lage, who played a crucial role in his development. Benfica finished close behind Sporting CP last season and faced elimination from the Club World Cup against Chelsea.
Joao Felix has expressed a strong desire to return to Benfica, stating, 'I want to go home, my home is Benfica. I need to go home. Benfica is my favourite club.' His connection with the club stems from having risen through its ranks before his departure to Atletico Madrid. Felix acknowledges a significant part of his career was shaped during his youth under coach Bruno Lage, who is currently at Benfica and adds to Felix's inclination to return. Despite needing to accept a substantial pay cut, he feels a strong emotional pull to reunite with his former club.
Having joined Chelsea for an initial fee of £42m in 2024 after a loan spell in 2022-23, Joao Felix struggled to secure regular minutes and was subsequently loaned to AC Milan for the latter half of the 2024-25 season. He only managed two goals in 15 Serie A appearances. At 25, he is now seeking a permanent exit from Chelsea as coaching changes affected his playing time, thus reigniting his interest in the home club of his youth.
Under Bruno Lage, who was instrumental in his early development, Joao Felix feels a strong connection to Benfica. He stated, 'With Bruno Lage being the coach, who I know and who was important for my career, he adds to my decision and I would be very happy about returning to Benfica.'
Benfica had a mixed previous season, finishing just two points behind Primeira Liga champions Sporting CP and subsequently competing in the Club World Cup. They progressed from their group, which included Bayern Munich, but were eliminated in the round of 16 against Chelsea. Joao Felix was an unused substitute for Portugal during their Nations League final victory against Spain.
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