Al-Hilal or Barcelona? Felix's dream without guarantees

Al-Nassr sharpens its weapons to secure its star

Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia have entered the race for Joao Felix. The Portugal forward, currently at Al-Nassr, has made no secret of his wish to return one day to Barcelona and pull on the Catalan club's shirt again, but his name has now surfaced as a possible target for Al-Nassr's rivals.

Tariq Al-Tuwaijri, Al-Hilal's former executive director, sparked the speculation during an appearance on the programme "Al-Mansa" on Saudi platform "Thmanyah". He voiced his hope that Felix would stay in the Saudi league and left the door open for a switch to Al-Hilal or one of their domestic rivals.

Al-Hilal statements: and Al-Nassr moves

Al-Tuwaijri said: "First, I hope Félix does not leave the Roshn League. If Al-Hilal can sign him, that would be good, and the same goes for Al-Ittihad and Al-Ahli." Those remarks from the former Al-Hilal official set tongues wagging over the player's future. Spanish newspaper "Sport" insists there are no official talks between Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr over the Portuguese star as things stand.

Al-Nassr are only muddying the waters with their efforts to hang on to the player. Saudi newspaper "Al-Riyadiah" recently reported that the club is weighing up a clause that would let them extend Félix's contract unilaterally until June 2029, while bumping his annual salary up from the current 10 million euros to around 12.5 million.

Barcelona: a dream without guarantees

Sport commented: "This potential move conflicts with the player's desire to regain his presence on the European stage, according to reports which indicated that his agent Jorge Mendes has explored the possibility of avoiding a contract extension, in order to keep the options for departure open."

Barcelona remain firmly in Felix's thinking. He cherishes special memories from his previous spell at the club, and a return to the Camp Nou sits high among his personal ambitions. That desire has yet to translate into a concrete move, with the financial complications surrounding any deal proving a serious obstacle.

Al-Nassr want to extend his contract. Al-Hilal could enter the race. The player himself dreams of a European return. Felix's future looks wide open over the coming months, and the Barcelona dream still stands without any guarantee it will come true.