Why clubs should steer clear of Joao Felix and his desperate attempt to return to Europe

[p]The official definition of that term is [b][i]a person, thing, or situation that is mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to understand.[/i][/b][/p][infobox id="c5ce5f5a-ccb6-468f-9fce-bb4a330c372a" /][h2]Chelsea, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid can't all be wrong[/h2][p]That description would perfectly encapsulate the 26-year-old who continues to flatter to deceive in his football career.[/p][p]One has to question why there wasn't a queue of clubs knocking on his agent's door when it became clear that [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ac-milan/8Sa8HInO/"]AC Milan[/a] didn't want to turn his loan deal into a permanent move.[/p][embed guid="47b33f72-ae99-4eef-bfe7-4d8b1192b1cc" url="https://x.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1143994029291515905" social-type="twitter" /][p]The Italian giants, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chelsea/4fGZN2oK/"]Chelsea[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/barcelona/SKbpVP5K/"]Barcelona[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/atl-madrid/jaarqpLQ/"]Atletico Madrid[/a] can't all be wrong.[/p][p]Although [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/benfica/zBkyuyRI/"]Benfica[/a] were lambasted from all sides for their decision to allow him to join Atleti for a record fee (€126m), time has proven them correct.[/p][h2]Joao Felix's best days are few and far between[/h2][p]Perhaps the real issue is how so many elite clubs have had the wool pulled over their eyes by a player who, on his day, is a world beater, but whose best days are very few and far between.[/p][p]The recent [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/portugal/WvJrjFVN/"]Portugal[/a] matches against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/wales/YcUP0Nqp/"]Wales[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/norway/8rP6JO0H/"]Norway[/a] are prime examples of the conundrum he presents.[/p][image alt="Joao Felix's recent career stats" id="acf254bf-0480-4eaa-a59b-94d510c5b542" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="328db29f-72d3-464e-9971-69d6fac6caa7" original-width="2160" original-height="2702" /][p]Two goals in two games, but little else in terms of work rate or attacking force perfectly sum up his contributions.[/p][p]News thatFelix already wants to quit the Saudi Pro League and join another European giant should therefore be treated with a note of caution.[/p][h2]Best figures have come at Al Nassr[/h2][p]Despite having scored 30 goals and provided 21 assists in 55 appearances in all competitions for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/al-nassr/h4I89ZuE/"]Al Nassr[/a], his contract with the Saudi giants ends next summer, and the attacking midfielder has made his intentions clear.[/p][p][b]"In my head, I want to come back to Europe," [/b]he was quoted as saying. [b]"Playing in the Champions League again and facing the best teams motivates me. I was very happy to have worn the Barca shirt. It was a childhood dream for me, my father and my brother. It was an honour.[/b][/p][image alt="Joao Felix's xG in LaLiga - 2023/24 season" id="f5297ac9-da7b-40dd-8c8d-e68aaf539212" credit-line="Opta by Stats Perform" guid="87133e14-d8af-4dfd-9940-4d57933cd25d" original-width="768" original-height="576" /][p][b]"I’m very comfortable in Saudi Arabia. I’m happy and enjoying my football, but it’s true I’m also thinking about returning to Europe."[/b][/p][p]Fellow Portuguese [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cancelo-joao/dAyeWYpm/"]Joao Cancelo[/a] has made his way back to Catalonia after a period in Saudi Arabia, though the marauding full-back has more than earned his chance.[/p][p]The same can't really be said of Joao Felix.[/p][h2]Struggles against the cream of European football[/h2][p]He's looked fantastic for Al Nassr, but the quality of the opposition that he's facing week in and week out is negligible, with the greatest respect.[/p][p]Up against the cream that Europe has to offer, the player has often struggled.[/p][embed guid="1d72b696-4c01-47bb-a0f5-a84f28b1fe94" url="https://x.com/FabrizioRomano/status/2104494823726010646" social-type="twitter" /][p]Since signing for Atleti, the most goals he's ever managed in a league season is eight, with only four being scored in his first season at Chelsea.[/p][p]In terms of his passing, he attempted 1,047 passes at Al Nassr last season, finding his target 855 occasions for an 81.66% accuracy.[/p][h2]Poor return from crosses and corners[/h2][p]That's not an awful return, but one should again take the standard of opponent into account. During his time in European football, on only three other occasions has he attempted more than 500 passes over a season. [/p][p]On 15 separate occasions in various competitions, he didn't even attempt more than 100, and in some cases his output was significantly less.[/p][p]For example, in Atletico's Copa del Rey run of 2020/21, he attempted just 21 total passes, of which 13 were successful, for an awful 61.3% success.[/p][image alt="Joao Felix's recent player ratings" id="786b8b7d-6c8a-4867-92e8-ce7c385c58e8" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="19afb3a8-319c-49c9-8861-e2271735c3e6" original-width="2160" original-height="2702" /][p]Of the 177 crosses that he's made since the transfer to Atleti, only 21 have been successful, and seven of them have come whilst he's been at Al Nassr.[/p][p]Corners have been no better, with just 39 reaching their target (22 whilst with Al Nassr) from 144 attempted.[/p][p]And 574 ball recoveries in the 275 games played since leaving Benfica averages out to roughly two per game, though one could argue in his favour that winning back possession has never truly needed to be part of his natural game.[/p][h2]Only 155 tackles attempted in almost seven years[/h2][p]That said, a willingness to run through brick walls for the good of the team would go some way to levelling out the playing field in terms of his shortcomings elsewhere.[/p][p]For example, 2,263 duels attempted sounds impressive until you realise that Felix has lost 1,167 of them.[/p][p]Just 155 tackles made in almost seven years is an appalling return, even if there's a positive balance for this particular metric, with 86 of them being successful.[/p][embed guid="4759fcbd-8bf5-414c-8bde-745f8415743c" url="https://x.com/Flashscorecom/status/2096583866819527165" social-type="twitter" /][p]No one doubts his ability, and when his silky skills are put to their best use, Felix is devastatingly good.[/p][p]Bringing them to the table once every few games isn't a recipe for ongoing success, however, and any European team that may express an interest in bringing the player back to the continent does so with their eyes wide open.[/p][p]When things go awry, as they almost certainly will, the blame can't be laid at anyone else's door.[/p][p]The goods will be sold as seen, and in this instance, buyers beware...[/p][infobox id="8a8311c3-81b3-440e-8b49-36091db073d1" /]