Joao Felix to Aston Villa: Finance expert drops Chelsea swap verdict
Aston Villa supporters have been handed a significant verdict regarding the club’s pursuit of Chelsea forward Joao Felix, courtesy of finance expert Stefan Borson.
The Villans have been active in the January transfer window, bringing in Donyell Malen and Andres Garcia while parting ways with Diego Carlos and Jaden Philogene.
More transfer news broke with Fabrizio Romano suggesting that Villa are monitoring Felix’s situation at Chelsea. This sparked excitement among fans about what the Portuguese star could achieve under Unai Emery.
However, Borson took to X to provide a more cautious perspective, indication a loan move or a swap are likely to be the only options.
He explained: “Hard to see how Villa can afford him permanently in this [financial year]. Unless they have a swap in mind. Hard to see how they have £10m free capacity even with decent [Champions League]”.
Aston Villa must avoid weakening squad in pursuit of Joao Felix
Football Insider Verdict
Villa’s interest in Felix has raised questions about how the deal might take shape, with the idea of a potential swap surfacing.
Emery’s side are also reportedly keen on Chelsea’s Axel Disasi, although fans have shown little enthusiasm for that move.
If a swap were on the table, Duran is one player who has already attracted interest from Chelsea. The Colombian striker has enjoyed a standout season and could appeal to the Blues as part of a deal for Felix or Disasi.
Football Insider recently revealed that Duran might leave Villa soon, as he is eager to be the first-choice striker at a club rather than a backup option.
However, including Duran in any deal would weaken Emery’s squad, even with the addition of Felix. The Portuguese forward should replace Emi Buendia, who is close to joining Bayer Leverkusen [Fabrizio Romano on X].
Swapping Duran for Felix would be a step backward for Villa. Any move for Felix should be separate, as his arrival alone would significantly bolster the squad without sacrificing a key player.
In other news, Aston Villa are set to step up their attempts to sign an AC Milan star.
For more Aston Villa news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.