Joao Felix Eyes Benfica Return After Chelsea & Milan Stints Falter

Chelsea outcast Joao Felix admits he wants to go ‘home’ amid failed AC Milan loan and Maresca rejection

It wasn’t supposed to go this way for Joao Felix. Not when he burst onto the scene at Benfica as a teenage prodigy. Not when Atletico Madrid made him the fourth most expensive footballer in history at just 19. And certainly not when Chelsea took a chance on him in 2023, believing they could rekindle the magic of his early days.

But now, five years after that record-breaking move to Madrid, and after two more failed spells at Chelsea and AC Milan, the Portuguese forward is openly talking about going home — quite literally.

“I want to go home,” Felix said this week. “My home is Benfica.”

A Career That Never Quite Took Flight

Joao Felix Chelsea 2024-25

Felix’s journey since his headline-making €126 million move to Atletico Madrid in 2019 has been anything but smooth. That fee came with an incredible weight of expectation, not least because of the comparisons to Cristiano Ronaldo and the idea that he would become Portugal’s next great footballing export.

Yet under Diego Simeone, Felix often looked like a square peg in a round hole. The Argentine coach’s defensive structure didn’t suit the young forward’s instincts, flair, or rhythm. Glimpses of brilliance came — a dribble here, a goal there — but consistency was always missing.

A move away felt inevitable, and Chelsea offered a temporary escape in January 2023. While his six-month loan spell at Stamford Bridge started brightly, it quickly became clear that neither the club nor the player were in sync. In 20 appearances for the Blues, Felix managed just seven goals and never really cemented a place as a first-team regular.

Despite that underwhelming output, Chelsea kept the door open and even flirted with a second loan in 2024. But under new manager Enzo Maresca, the club has taken a different path — and Felix is no longer part of their long-term plans.

AC Milan Spell Fails to Reignite Form

Joao Felix Benfica

With Chelsea no longer an option, Felix found himself wearing red and black next — joining AC Milan in 2024 in what many hoped would be a fresh start. After all, Serie A has a history of reviving once-lost attacking flair. But again, the results were far from transformative.

Felix managed limited game time in a Milan side that already had a defined attacking structure. Playing alongside the likes of Christian Pulisic and Rafael Leão, he never quite found the space or influence he craved. It didn’t help that he was still under contract with Chelsea — a club seemingly uncertain of what to do with him — for another six years.

Milan have made it clear they won’t be pursuing a permanent deal. Felix’s wages, form, and fit all combine to make the risk too high. It’s yet another dead end in a career that once promised everything.

The Pull of Benfica — And Home

Which brings us back to Benfica — the club that gave Joao Felix his wings in the first place. It’s where he made his name as a teenager, dazzling with his technique, agility, and eye for goal. And now, at 25, he’s ready to return.

“With Bruno Lage being the coach, who I know and who was important for my career, it adds to my decision,” Felix told Correio da Manha. “I would be very happy about returning to Benfica. I feel that I need to be at home.”

This isn’t just about football anymore. In the wake of the tragic passing of his Portugal teammate Diogo Jota in a car accident, Felix has spoken of his need to be closer to family, to find stability in both his professional and personal life.

Those who know him say he’s a deeply emotional character — someone who values familiarity and comfort. Benfica offers that. And more importantly, they offer a platform where Felix can play his natural game again without the suffocating pressure that has dogged him elsewhere.

Chelsea Stuck With A £45m Conundrum

From Chelsea’s point of view, the Felix situation is increasingly problematic. They signed him permanently for £45 million in a deal that now looks like a financial misfire. With six years still remaining on his contract, they’re now in a bind — unable to offload him easily due to high wages, and unable to integrate him under Maresca’s more pragmatic tactical approach.

It’s a situation not unlike that of Romelu Lukaku, another high-profile signing who found himself loaned out with no clear pathway back. Chelsea’s project is evolving under Maresca and sporting director Laurence Stewart, with a focus on younger, homegrown players and those with long-term development upside. Felix, despite his age, doesn’t quite fit that mould anymore.

What Comes Next?

It seems increasingly likely that Felix will force a return to Liga Portugal — with Benfica his top destination. The player has made his preference clear, and Benfica, for their part, could be open to a deal if the financials align.

The only question is how Chelsea handles the situation. Will they be willing to swallow a loss and let Felix go on a cut-price deal? Or will they try to orchestrate yet another loan, hoping that one more fresh start can finally unlock the version of Felix the world expected to see back in 2019?

Final Thoughts

For Joao Felix, it’s now less about fame and fortune and more about peace of mind. He has already played in La Liga, the Premier League, and Serie A. He’s worn some of the biggest shirts in world football. But it’s only now — after all the hype, all the headlines, and all the hardship — that he sounds truly focused on finding a place where he feels like himself again.

“I need to be at home,” he says.

Perhaps Benfica — and Lisbon — is exactly where Joao Felix needs to go. For his career. For his peace. And for the joy of football that once made him such a rare and brilliant talent.