According to a recent report by Le10Sport, Manchester United have set their sights on Atletico Madrid whizkid Joao Felix as they want to make a big statement in the summer transfer market. The same source has also mentioned that the Red Devils are dreaming to see the Portuguese striker follow on the footsteps of their former star Cristiano Ronaldo and are hoping to count on someone they are quite familiar with, i.e. the agent of both Felix and Ronaldo, Jorge Mendes.
Felix’s Struggles At The Spanish Capital
The Viseu-born talent made a name for himself at his old club Benfica last season but has failed to hit those heights in his debut campaign in the La Liga so far. He has shown a few glimpses of his potential under Diego Simeone’s tutelage but has struggled to perform consistently in the final third.
Felix has banged in six goals and provided three assists in 28 matches for the Spanish giants this term in all competitions which is underwhelming when compared to his tally of 20 goals and 11 assists from the previous campaign in Portuguese football. Maybe, the 20-year-old needs more time to settle into the La Liga where the attackers are more technical, and the defenders are more ruthless. However, a summer switch to Old Trafford will undeniably be quite appealing for the young striker who has idolised Cristiano Ronaldo throughout his young career.
The Portuguese prospect has averaged 2.5 shots, 0.6 key passes and 0.9 dribbles in every 90 minutes of league football this season (stats via whoscored). Felix has performed a bit better in Europe as evidenced by his average of 3.6 shots, 1.2 key passes and 0.8 dribbles per game in the UEFA Champions League so far (stats via whoscored).
At such a tender age, the talented striker has already earned five senior caps for the Portuguese national side. He is in line to play a crucial role for his country in next year’s UEFA European Championship which has been delayed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
What Are The Portuguese Attacker’s Best Attributes?
Felix can use his quickness and agility to make intelligent runs in behind the opposition defence. He can get himself into some dangerous positions in the final third and is a lethal presence inside the opposition penalty area. The Portuguese speedster can create a goal-scoring opportunity out of nothing using his dribbling skills, composure and ball-control. However, he lacks the strength to keep hold of the ball when left isolated with his back to the opposition goal which explains why he has only completed 79.1% of his attempted passes in the La Liga (stats via whoscored)
Is Felix The Right Fit For Solskjaer?
At the moment, Felix is far from a finished product as he needs to work hard in the gym to develop a strong frame so that he can be a more dominant figure up top. Therefore, the Red Devils would be wise to wait for him to grow into a world-class striker before deciding whether to bring him to the Theatre of Dreams.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be making a huge gamble if he decides to splash big-money on Felix this summer, especially after his lacklustre debut campaign at the Wanda Metropolitano. However, there is no doubt that the Portuguese international will add more variety to the Man United attack and provide some healthy competition for the likes of Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford.
At the same time, Felix’s acquisition could hamper the growth of an up-and-coming young forward like Mason Greenwood as he will struggle to get enough game time with so many big names ahead of him in the Old Trafford pecking order. With all things considered, Felix won’t be a good fit for the Red Devils right now but could be in a few years’ time when he is more prepared to take on the challenges of playing in the Premier League week in week out.
