Barcelona 'working towards signing Joao Felix on a permanent deal'

Barcelona are reportedly determined to sign Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix on a permanent basis during next summer's transfer window.

The 23-year-old moved to Camp Nou on loan in the final stages of the summer market, and he has been in strong form for the Catalan giants this term, scoring three goals and registering three assists in eight outings.

Felix has managed one goal and two assists in six La Liga appearances, while he has two goals and one assist in two Champions League games.

There is no compulsory purchase option included in the loan deal, meaning that, as it stands, Felix will return to Wanda Metropolitano at the end of the 2023-24 campaign.

The Portugal international's long-term future with the capital giants is unclear, though, due to his strained relationship with Atletico head coach Diego Simeone.

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According to Sport, Barcelona have been delighted with Felix's performances this season, while he has also proven to be 'very popular in all areas of the club'.

The report claims that the La Liga champions are working towards purchasing him on a permanent basis, but much will depend on Atletico's asking price, with the Catalan team still having financial issues.

Felix took a huge pay cut in order to secure a move to Camp Nou, while he is believed to have rejected interest from the Premier League in the shape of Manchester United and Liverpool.

A permanent switch to Barcelona is complicated by the fact that Atletico extended his contract again over the summer, with Felix having a deal in Madrid until June 2029.

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Atletico are believed to value the forward in the region of €80m (£69m), and it remains to be seen whether Barcelona are in a position to sign him next summer.

The Madrid club's president Enrique Cerezo recently said that it would be "good" for his team if the Portuguese impressed while on loan.

"He is our player, we must protect him, help him and think that, if he does well, it is good for us," Cerezo told Sport.

"We have always said, I have said, that he is a fantastic player and he is showing it at Barcelona. He didn't adapt with us, he didn't have any luck. And yet, he is a great player at Barcelona, ​​he was a great player here too."

Felix arrived at Atletico in a big-money deal from Benfica in 2019, and he has represented the club on 131 occasions in all competitions, scoring 34 goals and registering 18 assists.