The richest football clubs around the world are always on the lookout for fresh talent to strengthen their ranks. The perfect opportunity to find new players to improve their squads are major international competitions like the World Cup, extensively covered by both the press and bookmakers like Betway. These events have led to important signings for fabulous amounts, like in the case of Kylian Mbappé, the French football sensation that left Monaco for Paris Saint Germain last year in a transfer contract worth €135 million (approximately USh563 million) last year. This year, we had the chance to see another emerging football sensation switch teams: Portuguese youngster João Félix left Benfica for Atlético Madrid this summer in the year’s biggest transfer contract to date.
João Félix in a nutshell
Félix was a boy with a slight frame and an ardent passion for football. After training with his local club Os Pestinhas for a while, he joined the youth academy of FC Porto, spending seven years training with the team. He didn’t enjoy his time there but his father convinced him not to give up – and he was right. After being dismissed by Porto for his slim build, he approached Porto’s rival Benfica in 2015 and continued his training there. He graduated Benfica’s youth academy in 2018 but he has been playing with the B team since 2016 when he was 16. In 2018, he was promoted to the first team – and this decision has proven to be a great one for the club.
Play style and accolades
The player Porto dismissed because of his slim body blossomed at Benfica – he was considered by many one of the most promising young players at the club. Over time, he was compared to former Benfica stars Rui Costa, a player with an excellent technique, and João Pinto, winner of the Portuguese Golden Ball in 1993 and 1996. Félix is a versatile player – he usually plays as an attacking midfielder but he does great as a striker, second striker, and winger as well.
Transfer to Atlético Madrid
The press has speculated a lot this year about which major club will get the chance to sign the talented youngster. Among others, there were rumours about Manchester City, Manchester United, and Real Madrid keeping an eye on him. Ultimately, it was Atlético Madrid’s offer that was accepted by both the player and the club: the Spanish team paid €126 million (USh525 billion) to have him. Félix signed a seven-year contract that started on July 1st this year, becoming the fifth-most-expensive footballer in history, and the second-most-expensive teenage football player behind only Kylian Mbappé.