Benfica are in talks to sign Chelsea forward Joao Felix on loan for the Club World Cup, in line with reports in Portugal.
Felix returned to Chelsea in a £46.3 million deal from Atletico Madrid last August however the 25-year-old was unable to secure a daily role under Enzo Maresca and was allowed to affix AC Milan on loan within the January transfer window.
The Portugal international has struggled to make an impact in Serie A and Milan look unlikely to make his move everlasting this summer.
In response to Record, Benfica are actually pushing to sign Felix in early June to ensure that the forward to reach in time for his or her Club World Cup campaign.
The report claims that Benfica have already made their approach to Felix and their head coach, Bruno Lage, has been playing a crucial role in attempting to persuade the player to return to Portugal.
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Benfica begin their Club World Cup campaign this summer with a troublesome game against Boca Juniors on June 16.
The Portuguese side then play Auckland City on June 20 before their final game in Group C against Bayern Munich on June 24.
Chelsea, meanwhile, are also on this 12 months’s Club World Cup and were as a result of begin their campaign against Club Leon on June 16 before the Mexican side were kicked out of the tournament for failing to satisfy FIFA’s criteria on multi-club ownership.
Chelsea are also as a result of play Flamengo and ES Tunis in Group D.
When asked about Felix’s departure in February, Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca made his feelings clear in regards to the Portuguese forward.
‘I don’t think we miss Joao,’ Maresca said.
‘He’s glad there [Milan] and we’re glad that he’s glad.
‘Two injuries on the last day of the transfer window. It’s a troublesome one. Nico [Jackson] might be back soon. Sometimes I believe we’d like to play a number of games without certain players to understand their importance.’
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