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João Félix joins Chelsea on loan, extends Atlético contract

London, Jan 11 (EFE).- Portuguese forward João Félix has joined Premier League club Chelsea on loan for the rest of the season while extending his contract with Atlético Madrid until 2027, both clubs said Wednesday.

Chelsea will pay some 10 million euros and cover the salary of the 23-year-old, whose relationship with Atléti manager Diego Simeone is reportedly strained, but the deal in place until June 2023 does not include a purchase option.

“Chelsea is one of the great teams in the world and I hope to help the team reach their objectives, so I am very, very happy to be here and very excited to play at Stamford Bridge,” Félix said in a club statement.

The London team is navigating a choppy season in which they have managed to scrape together 25 of a possible 51 points and sit in 10th place, trailing leaders and cross-city rivals Arsenal by 19 points.

Under Graham Potter, the Blues have lost five of their last seven matches but remain in the Champions League, unlike Atlético Madrid.

The arrival of Félix, who joined the Madrid team from Benfica as teenager in 2019 for an eye-watering 126-million-euro fee, will bolster a squad blighted by injury with the likes of Raheem Sterling, Reece James, N’Golo Kanté, Christian Pulisic, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ben Chilwell all on the sidelines for the time being.EFE

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