Atletico Madrid have reportedly decided that they will block any attempt Barcelona make to sign midfielder Joao Felix this summer.
The 22-year-old arrived at the Wanda Metropolitano from Benfica in 2019 for a significant £107m, but he has not been able to live up to the expectations a price tag that big puts on a signing.
To date, his best goalscoring season for Atletico was last year, when he netted 10 times in all competitions, while he has hit similar figures during this campaign, having scored eight and provided six assists in 30 appearances.
GOAL reports that despite his lower-than-expected stats, Felix will remain in the Spanish capital as Diego Simeone has insisted that he is a key member of his side.
Felix's contract with the club currently runs until 2026 and his release clause is set at £296m, which is likely to price Barcelona out of any deal they would have wished to secure.
The Portuguese international has scored 27 goals and provided 15 assists in 106 appearances for the club.
Sammy Wynne
