Al-Hilal or Barcelona? Felix's dream without guarantees
Al-Nassr sharpens its weapons to protect its star
Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia have thrown their hat into the ring over Joao Felix. The Portugal forward, currently at Al-Nassr, has emerged as a potential target for the club, despite making no secret of his desire to one day return to Barcelona and pull on the Catalan shirt once again.
Word of Al-Hilal's interest came from Tariq Al-Tuwaijri, the club's former chief executive, during an appearance on the programme "Al-Mansa" on Saudi platform "Thmanyah". He voiced his hope that Felix would stay in the Saudi league and opened the door to a move to Al-Hilal or one of their rivals.
Al-Hilal statements: Al-Nassr on the move
Al-Tuwaijri said: "First of all, I hope Felix does not leave the Roshn League. If Al-Hilal are able to sign him, that would be good, and the same applies to Al-Ittihad and Al-Ahli." The former Al-Hilal official's comments sparked speculation about the player's future. But Spanish newspaper "Sport" confirmed there are no official negotiations between Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr over the Portuguese star just yet.
Al-Nassr's determination to keep hold of their man has muddied the waters further. Saudi newspaper "Al-Riyadiya" recently reported that the club is weighing up a clause that would let it extend Felix's contract unilaterally until June 2029, while bumping his annual salary from the current 10 million euros to around 12.5 million.
Barcelona: a dream without guarantees
Sport commented: "This potential move conflicts with the player's desire to restore his presence on the European stage, according to reports which indicated that his agent Jorge Mendes explored the possibility of avoiding a contract extension, in order to keep the options for departure open."
Barcelona still feature in Felix's thinking. He treasures special memories from his previous spell at the club, and a return to the Camp Nou pitch ranks among his personal ambitions. Yet that desire hasn't turned into anything concrete, with financial complications clouding the deal.
Al-Nassr want to extend his contract. Al-Hilal could enter the race. The player himself dreams of a European return. Felix's future looks wide open over the coming months, and while the dream of a Barcelona homecoming lingers, nothing guarantees it will happen.
