Journalist Dharmesh Sheth has said on Sky Sports Main Event (5:22pm, January 6, 2023) that Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United are not going to pay £19 million for Joao Felix, a player Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal also want to sign in the January transfer window.
Sky journalist Sheth has said that Manchester United have been told to pay £19 million in transfer fees and wages to sign Portugal international forward Felix on a loan deal from Atletico.
The former Premier League and UEFA Champions League winners are not willing to do so.
Sheth said: “It was simply a no-goer with the terms Atletico Madrid were quoting. Manchester United simply cannot pay £19 million for a six-month loan.
“They don’t want to do that. If those terms change, and it is a big if, then Manchester United may get back to the table with Atletico Madrid.”
Manchester United stance on Joao Felix boost for Arsenal
This will come as a boost to Arsenal, who have also been linked with the 23-year-old.
The Telegraph have reported that the Gunners want to secure the services of Felix, who played for Portugal at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, and are stepping up their efforts to bring him to the Emirates Stadium in the middle of the season.
If Manchester United do not want to sign Felix for £19 million on a loan deal, then it means less competition for Arsenal.
We think that if £19 million is what it takes to sign Felix to sign on a loan deal with no obligation to make it permanent, then the Gunners should get it done.
Felix may not be an out-and-out striker, but he is a very good and promising young forward player who would give manager Mikel Arteta a valuable option in the Arsenal attack.
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