Joao Felix’s situation will be one to watch this summer. Atletico Madrid have no intention of having him in their squad for next season, but Barcelona – his most likely destination for 2024-25 – do not want to sign him permanently because they feel his asking price is way over the top.
Another loan deal looks the most likely outcome, and that could include an option to make the deal permanent. However, there is also a chance of Felix becoming an official Barcelona player this summer too, as they could get him for nothing, or at least on a significantly reduced fee.
According to Ruben Uria (via Sport), Atleti could lower their demands for Felix if Barcelona agree to give them Robert Lewandowski for free, similar to the situation involving Luis Suarez back in 2020. If the Catalan side adhere, Los Rojiblancos would drastically reduce their asking price for Felix, or give him away for no additional cost.
Atletico Madrid’s interest in Lewandowski appears to be very real, and some members of the Barcelona hierarchy are very keen to part ways with the Polish veteran this summer because of his excessive wages. This situation could be one to keep an eye on.
The post Atletico Madrid prepared to include Joao Felix in shock swap deal with Barcelona appeared first on Football España.
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Chelsea appear to be moving in the right direction following an initial period of instability after the BlueCo takeover. Enzo Maresca‘s side have Champions League football to look forward to and are fresh from recently winning the Club World Cup. The West London club have been active in this summer’s transfer window, and Fabrizio Romano is now reporting they have agreed a deal to sign 18-year-old winger Jesse Derry from Crystal Palace. Chelsea Make Transfer Move Amid Summer Strengthening Chelsea Agree Deal to Sign Jesse Derry The Blues ended last season on a high, qualifying for the Champions League and winning the Europa Conference League, before winning the Club World Cup. So far this summer, Chelsea have signed Jamie Gittens, Joao Pedro, Liam Delap, Estevao, Dario Essugo, Mamadou Sarr and Kendry Paez. Despite already being active this summer, Chelsea appear far from done and have been linked with Dutch attacker Xavi Simons and Jorel Hato. The deal to sign Derry from Crystal Palace will add another highly rated talent to their books. Romano reports that 8 European clubs were interested in the England under-19 international. The medical will take place this Friday, with Chelsea stealing a march on their transfer rivals. Who is Jesse Derry? Jesse Derry has excelled at every age group and has all the ability needed to reach the very top. Derry operates on either wing and can cut in or go down the outside, making him a nightmare to mark. He is a joy to watch; he’s at his best when one-on-one with an opponent, and normally, the 18-year-old comes out on top. It’s difficult to judge how far the 18-year-old will go, but he was heavily linked with Bayern Munich, which is a testament to just how good Derry is. When you watch him play, there’s a touch of Jack Grealish about him. Could Chelsea be signing the next English superstar, or will he join the many who just weren’t quite good enough?
It’s wild how quickly the NBA narrative can flip. A year ago, Zion Williamson was in every trade rumor possible. People were questioning his health, his work ethic, even his future in New Orleans. And the Pelicans? They didn’t really deny any of it. It felt like both sides were one step away from walking. But things have shifted this offseason — quietly, but clearly. The Pelicans could’ve pulled the plug. Zion’s contract gave them outs, and the trade market might’ve still brought back some real value. Instead, they stuck with him. And based on what one of their own just said, they’re not just keeping him around — they’re still betting big on him. In a recent interview with Spotrac’s Keith Smith, an anonymous Pelicans executive made it crystal clear. “Zion is still our guy. We’re all in on him. We think he’s going to have a huge year. We’ve had some bad injury luck and some things that just haven’t worked out. This partnership hasn’t even come close to reaching our best yet.” That’s not something you say if you’re halfway in. They backed it up with their offseason moves, too. They traded CJ McCollum and brought in Jordan Poole, a high-usage creator who can take pressure off Zion. They drafted Jeremiah Fears with the No. 7 pick, a dynamic young guard. They added Kevon Looney, a reliable veteran who brings playoff experience and toughness. Those aren’t tear-it-down moves — those are “let’s try this another way” moves. Of course, Zion’s health is still the question. That never really goes away. He played just 30 games last season, but in those games he looked solid: 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists per night on 56.7 percent shooting. The explosiveness was there. The playmaking was sharp. And the hope for New Orleans is that this time, he can finally sustain it. What’s interesting is how the front office is trying to create a better environment around him. Joe Dumars has stepped in to lead basketball operations and is reportedly building a closer relationship with Zion — dinners, real conversations, not just surface-level stuff. It feels like, for once, the team is trying to meet him halfway. It’s a risk, sure. But it’s a calculated one. The West is brutal and the margin for error is thin. Still, if Zion can stay healthy for 60 games, and if Poole finds a rhythm and guys like Trey Murphy and Herb Jones keep improving — this team has a shot to be in the mix. The quote from the exec says it all. They could’ve hit reset, moved on, cleaned house. But they didn’t. They’re still in. And now it’s on Zion to hold up his end of the deal. After everything that’s happened, they’re telling the world they still believe. Now it’s time to find out if they’re right.
The Milwaukee Bucks' decision to waive-and-stretch Damian Lillard sparked even more Giannis Antetokounmpo rumors on social media. There were already reports that Antetokounmpo was considering his options and potentially forcing his way out of Milwaukee, and the Lillard move did little to alleviate the situation. Nevertheless, the weeks have gone by, and Antetokounmpo is still a Buck. More importantly, the team believes that's not going to change any time soon. "We have no indication that anything is really changing as far as our relationship with the player we think is the best in the world," a Bucks front office executive told Spotrac's Keith Smith. "We rebuilt on the fly, in a really challenging situation, but we think we did it as well as it could be done." Antetokounmpo trade rumors have cooled off around the league, and while anything can happen in the NBA, that doesn't seem likely at this point. "Do I think the star guys like Giannis (Antetokounmpo) or LeBron (James) are going to go anywhere? Nope. Is it possible? Sure is," said a Western Conference executive. Giannis chose to stay in Milwaukee with one of the most lucrative contract extensions in NBA history. He was overly critical of the team's effort last season, and another early playoff exit may have driven him to the edge. Even so, he's talked about how he wants to win "the right way," as opposed to chasing rings. That said, with head coach Doc Rivers' long list of questionable postseason performances and a championship window that could be closing right before their eyes, Giannis trade rumors will flood social media again if the Bucks get off to a slow start during the 2026-26 campaign.
The Florida Gators are in the hunt for a very intriguing college football prospect from the 2028 class. Social media blew up last weekend after a crazy one-handed catch was made at the NFL Flag Championships by receiver Brysen Wright. The original video of Wright's snag has over 7 million views and caught the eye of NFL talent like Patrick Mahomes, Caleb Williams, and others. On3's Adam Gorney caught up with Wright to discuss recruiting and which schools are currently in the lead. Wright revealed he has heard from the Gators, Ohio State Buckeyes and Miami Hurricanes. “The only (main) schools I’m hearing from now really are Ohio State, Florida and Miami,” Gorney compared Wright to sophomore Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith. Smith burst onto the scene last season, leading the Buckeyes with 1,315 receiving yards as a true freshman. Smith was a former five-star prospect and the top receiver in the 2024 class. Wright is rated as a four-star on Rivals, and On3's Hayes Fawcett believes the recruit will be one of the prospects in the class. Wright is familiar with Florida, as the Gators had him in town for an unofficial visit in November of last year. The On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine has tabbed Florida as the favorite and gives it a 21.9% chance to land him. Ohio State has a 13.7% chance, while Miami has a 1.2% chance. While Wright's decision may not be imminent, Florida is trending upward as a program. The Gators just secured the first winning season of head coach Billy Napier's tenure, and people are paying close attention to Florida. Greg McElroy even said that Florida could be a problem with a consistent running game. If Wright pans out as people expect, it would be a massive addition to Florida.
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