Chelsea have begun talks with Atletico Madrid regarding the possibility of signing Portugal forward Joao Felix.
The two clubs have been in close contact in recent weeks having agreed separate deals for Conor Gallagher and Samu Omorodion.
The Premier League club’s enquiry for Felix comes after Omorodion’s proposed move to Stamford Bridge collapsed on Sunday evening. Gallagher is still expected to join the Madrid club in the coming days after agreeing to a transfer.
Felix previously spent six months on loan at Stamford Bridge, scoring four goals in 16 appearances during the second half of the 2022-23 campaign.
The Portugal international is under contract with Atletico until June 2029 but has fallen out of favour with head coach Diego Simeone.
The 24-year-old has been given an extended summer break after his Euro 2024 exploits to help him resolve his future.
Chelsea’s Premier League rivals Aston Villa have already expressed an interest in signing the forward, with head coach Unai Emery a long-term admirer of his talents.
Atletico signed Felix in the summer of 2019 for €126 million (£113m) — the fourth-highest transfer fee in football at the time — after scoring 20 goals in his debut season in Benfica’s first-team squad.
After three frustrating years at Atletico, Felix moved to Chelsea on loan in January 2023 but the Premier League side opted against making a permanent move for the forward last summer.
He then spent the entirety of the 2023-24 campaign on loan at Barcelona, scoring 10 goals across 44 first-team appearances.
Felix has been capped 41 times by Portugal, scoring eight goals.