New Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has told the club he is not interested in signing Atletico Madrid loanee Joao Felix on a permanent basis.
Felix joined from Atletico in January, with the option for Chelsea to make the move permanent in the summer.
The attacking midfielder played 20 times for the Blues in all competitions and scored on four occasions, in what proved to be a dismal season for the west London side.
Frank Lampard’s side finished twelfth after he won just one of his nine games in charge, losing six. Chelsea finished below Crystal Palace and Fulham.
Atletico President Enrique Cerezo told AS: “[Last week] we had the news that the new Chelsea manager does not [want] Joao Felix.
“He’ll come back here and we’ll see. We don’t have anything planned.”
Pochettino was announced as the new Chelsea boss on May 29 following the end of Lampard’s disastrous spell as interim boss. Chelsea started the season with European Cup winner Thomas Tuchel in charge before replacing him with Graham Potter, who lasted seven months.
It has since been widely reported that Chelsea will have to offload a number of players in order to balance the books, having spent more than any club in the history of football over the course of a single season.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek has been linked with AC Milan, Mason Mount with Manchester United and Liverpool. Pierre Emerick Aubameyang and Christian Pulisic are also rumoured to be leaving the club this summer.
Pochettino is looking for players that will suit his high-octane style of play.
Chelsea are reportedly set to move for Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia with the nineteen-year-old rated in the £50million bracket.
Lavia was in a relegated Saints side last season but the Belgian international has also caught the eye of Liverpool.
Lavia made 35 appearances in all competitions in 2022-23, scoring once.
The Blues have also been linked with another impressive young midfielder, Brighton’s Moises Caicedo.
Caicedo, 21, who also impressed at right-back for the Seagulls last season, could cost up to £80million. Arsenal are also interested.
