Arsenal want Joao Felix but Jorge Mendes is pushing for him to join Aston Villa having brokered Unai Emery’s move to Villa Park.
The Athletic report that a number of clubs now believe that Felix could be available on loan or even permanently in January.
Top recruitment staff around the game believe that Felix will be a good fit for Arsenal given that they are now missing Gabriel Jesus for months.
Yet it’s claimed that Aston Villa are a very real option because agent Jorge Mendes is pushing for it.
Mendes allegedly has a ‘strong relationship’ with Villa’s owners Wes Edens and Nassef Sawiris and brokered Unai Emery’s move from Villarreal to Villa in October.
That connection could be key but tempting a top player like Felix into joining Villa – a team with no European action and some way off qualifying for next season – is a tough ask.
Arsenal should still be the priority over Villa for Felix
We can’t doubt the powers of Jorge Mendes here – the man has pulled off deals that we thought would have been impossible.
Ruben Neves to Wolves in the Championship? Maybe Mendes deserves his tag of super-agent after all.
Yet it’s hard to imagine Felix picking a move to Villa right now.
Arsenal seem like a much better fit in terms of stature, ambition and his role in the team.
Gabriel Jesus plays as a lone striker for Arsenal but he moves all over the front line – dropping deep, drifting wide, pressing up to defenders.
Felix could certainly play that role and a loan with option to buy could work out well for all parties.
If Felix can help secure top-four football or even keep Arsenal’s title charge going, he could secure himself a long-term future in North London.
Felix could put himself in the shop window at Villa in a short-term loan but a long-term move just doesn’t seem likely, even if Villa have big plans under Emery.
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