CHELSEA have reached an agreement with Atletico Madrid for the permanent signing of Joao Felix.
Blues midfielder Conor Gallagher will fly back to Madrid today and will be unveiled as an Atletico midfielder on Wednesday.
Gallagher, 24, flew to Madrid a fortnight ago to meet Atletico chiefs, players and even had a tour of the Metropolitano stadium.
But he was sent back to West London after Chelsea’s attempts to sign Samu Omorodion fell through after the forward failed his medical.
Chelsea saw all three deals as entirely separate but Atletico took the opposite view and Gallagher returned to train with Chelsea’s ‘bomb squad’ last week.
But after being stuck in limbo, Gallagher will head back to Spain after Felix agreed personal terms to join Enzo Marcseca’s 43-man roster.
Felix, 24, will join on a six-year contract with the option for an additional 12 months.
The price tag is unconfirmed but Chelsea had been discussing a fee of £40m plus add-ons for the Portugal star.
He spent the second half of the 2022/2023 season on loan at Stamford Bridge, under Graham Potter and Frank Lampard.
Felix scored four goals in 16 Premier League appearances as the Blues finished 12th.
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The Portugal international then spent last term on loan at Barcelona, registering 10 goals and six assists in 44 games.
Felix was removed from Atletico’s squad for their LaLiga opener away to Villarreal on Monday night.
But it is expected that he will depart before the closure of the transfer window.
He is set to become Chelsea’s ninth summer signing, following the arrivals of Tosin Adarabioyo, Omari Kellyman, Marc Guiu, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Renato Veiga, Caleb Wiley, Aaron Anselmino and Pedro Neto.
Gallagher has been at Chelsea for 16 years since he was eight and played many games last season as captain of his boyhood club.
It could also spell worse news for Raheem Sterling, who was “unexpectedly” axed from the squad for Chelsea’s Prem opener.
The Blues fell to a 2-0 defeat to champions Manchester City on Sunday in what was the Premier League’s first £1billion game, based on the combined transfer fees of the players to appear.
