CHELSEA have confirmed the £42.6million signing of Joao Felix from Atletico Madrid.
The Portuguese forward spent the second half of the 2022-23 season on loan at Stamford Bridge.
But after a year with Barcelona, Felix has made a permanent switch to Chelsea to become their tenth summer arrival – and takes their spending in this window past the £200m mark.
Felix, 24, put pen to paper on a seven-year contract in West London.
He said: “I’m really happy to be back at Chelsea and I can’t wait to get started.
“I can see some familiar faces from the last time I was here, which is always nice.
“I loved my time here before and I told my friends and family that I’d love to return to the Premier League one day.
“To do that with Chelsea is a great feeling and I’m excited to be back.”
Chelsea confirmed the news with a clip of Felix tying his laces and stepping on to the training pitch in the controversial new Blues home kit.
And the video was fittingly backed by a clip of Kanye West’s song Homecoming.
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The announcement comes after Conor Gallagher completed his move from Chelsea to Atletico Madrid earlier on Wednesday – and finally puts to bed the confusing transfer merry-go-round between the two clubs this summer.
Felix managed four goals in 20 appearances for the Blues the first time around, recovering from a red card on his debut.
Felix follows compatriot Pedro Neto into the entrance door at Stamford Bridge.
He will be battling with a host of attacking talent for a spot in Enzo Maresca’s starting XI.
But the former Benfica star insists he is ready for the challenge.
Felix added: “It’s a chance for me to find a home.
“After two loans, Chelsea and Barca, I needed to stay permanently in one place. There is no better place for me to be than Chelsea. I see a perfect place to shine.
“It was a little bit of a lot of things that made me want to come back: the project, the club, the league, the fans, the time I spent here that I loved.
PREMIER LEAGUE legend Jamie Carragher let rip at Chelsea's transfer market activity, going on an epic rant about the west Londoners…
He told Sky Sports: “Chelsea have just got to stop buying players and players have got to stop signing for Chelsea.
“If I was a player and look at Chelsea, why would you sign?
“The only reason you’d sign is because someone might say – your agent might say – ‘We’re getting a seven-year deal’.
“You know what I’d say? ‘Back yourself as a player, sign a four-year deal at a proper club and back yourself to do well’.
“And then when you’re due for renewal your money goes up anyway.
“I don’t understand why you’d sign a seven-year deal. Back yourself.”
He continued: “All players need competition. But every team I played in there were seven or eight players who knew they were playing every week.
“Then you’ve got six or seven players who are fighting for three positions, and then you’ve got another six players who know they are squad players.”
And of the Blues’ swollen array of talent, Carragher asked: “Where are they going to fit in the changing room?
“How are you going to put on a training session.”
“I felt really good when I was here, despite the results we had. I’m really happy to be back.
“I feel like my best years are ahead of me. I have no doubt about that. The best years are still to come.
“And this year is going to be a good year, because now I am permanently at home, and I can enjoy home.”
A defender is still reportedly on Maresca’s wish list but attention will also need to turn to some outgoings from the bloated squad – with the manager revealing 15 players are training away from the first team.
Raheem Sterling’s future looks uncertain after being left out of the opening two matches of the season.
Ben Chilwell, Romelu Lukaku and Trevoh Chalobah could also be sold to cut the wage bill and reduce the numbers.
STAY in the know this summer with The Sun's transfer experts.
Ilkay Gundogan is closing in on a stunning return to Manchester City.
Meanwhile, Chelsea have announced the signing of Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix on a permanent deal.
Elsewhere, Liverpool are reportedly closing in on the £29.9m signing of Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili.
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