Boost for Chelsea as forward makes decision on future

Chelsea will find out their Champions League quarter-final opponents when the draw is made on Friday. 

The Blues booked their place in the last eight of the competition last week courtesy of a 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund at Stamford Bridge, and their possible opponents include the likes of Benfica, Bayern Munich and AC Milan.

The club’s supporters will be dreaming of a third Champions League title, but The Blues’ performances of late have done little to suggest that it is a realistic possibility.

If they fail to win Europe’s top club trophy, Chelsea face missing out on the competition entirely next term as they are currently struggling domestically.

At present the west London side sit tenth in the Premier League table, 11 points behind fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur.

Regardless of how successful this season proves to be, The Blues will boast a remarkable squad next term following their spending spree over the past nine months.

New owner Todd Boehly has splashed more than £600 million on 16 permanent new signings since taking charge of the club last summer.

One player whose future at Stamford Bridge remains uncertain, though, is Joao Felix, who is currently on loan at Chelsea from Spanish side Atletico Madrid.

Felix could stay put in London beyond this summer

The Portugal international’s loan spell is due to expire at the end of the season, but it appears he may stay in the capital regardless of where Chelsea finish this term.

As per 90min, the forward would consider staying at Chelsea beyond this summer even if the London outfit fail to qualify for the Champions League next season.

Chelsea are expected to make an effort to make the player’s spell in London a permanent one, and the report claims that the player may be keen on the idea.

Despite this, the player’s loan deal doesn’t include an option-to-buy clause, which means that Chelsea will have to negotiate a deal for the Portuguese from scratch.

Felix, 23, joined Atletico from Benfica back in 2019 for a fee of almost £120 million, but he was struggling for form in La Liga at the start of the current season and was therefore sent out on loan.

The Spanish side would reportedly demand around £88 million for Felix, who has scored once in six Premier League games since joining Chelsea.