Chelsea are now considered “close” to sealing the return of Joao Felix to Stamford Bridge after reaching the final stages of a deal with Atletico Madrid.

Felix scored four times in 20 appearances for the Blues during half a season on loan in 2023 and has been the club’s most likely forward acquisition since a deal for Samu Omorodion collapsed.

Fabrizio Romano reports that “talks are at final stages” for Felix to become a Chelsea player for the second time. A “verbal agreement” with Atletico has almost been reached, with only the “final details” of the deal’s structure still left to be resolved.

This time, it would be a permanent transfer, with The Athletic noting personal terms are agreed on a six-year contract until 2030 with the option of a further season up to the summer of 2031.

A fee of around £40m plus add-ons had been reported in recent days.

Felix has an Atletico contract until 2029 but hasn’t played for the club competitively in 19 months.

He famously moved to the Spanish capital in 2019 when Atletico triggered a €126m (£113m) release clause in his Benfica contract. The then teenager was handed the club’s number seven shirt that belonged to Antoine Griezmann until his high profile switch to Barcelona nine days later.

Felix himself wound up joining Barca on loan from Atletico this time last year, going on to register ten goals and six assists in 44 appearances across all competitions. He started fewer than half of Barca’s La Liga fixtures and mostly operated from the left flank.

Christopher Nkunku filled that role on the left for Chelsea in their opening Premier League fixture against Manchester City on Sunday, with Nicolas Jackson playing centrally.

Felix is set to become the tenth signing of another busy Chelsea summer. Pedro Neto was the ninth and most expensive new arrival when his £54m transfer from Wolves was confirmed last week.