Football General Manager
- Felix joins Al-Nassr on a two-year deal
- Benfica‘s move for their former star
- Arrival aims at boosting Al-Nassr’s title ambitions
Felix has completed a high-profile transfer to Al-Nassr, joining Cristiano Ronaldo after Chelsea agreed to a reported €50 million (£44m/$58m) deal consisting of an initial €30m fee plus €20m in performance-related add-ons. Felix signs a two-year contract that will see his wages jump from the €8m salary he was on at Chelsea to a staggering €17.5m (£15m/$20m) per year at Al-Nassr, Correio da Manha reports. This massive pay increase places the attacker among the top earners in the Saudi Pro League, surpassed only by Cristiano Ronaldo, Riyad Mahrez, Karim Benzema and Sadio Mane. The deal came after Felix abandoned prolonged talks with Benfica, requiring a significant pay cut to return to his boyhood club, when the lucrative Saudi offer arrived.
Felix’s career trajectory saw a steep decline after his €126m (£110m/$147m) move to Atletico Madrid. Struggling for consistency, he failed to establish himself at Atletico, Chelsea, Barcelona and AC Milan, despite flashes of talent. Benfica were keen for a homecoming, which Felix himself had publicly stated he wanted, but the Eagles could not match Chelsea’s asking price or his salary. Ultimately, Al-Nassr’s financial clout, along with Ronaldo’s active involvement – reportedly persuading his compatriot to sign in order to build national team chemistry ahead of the 2026 World Cup – quickly changed the course of negotiations. Chelsea are expected to use proceeds from the sale to pursue further reinforcements this window.
Felix is set to join up with Al-Nassr’s squad for their pre-season preparations in Austria. The Saudi club are targeting domestic and continental silverware, with Felix expected to be a regular starter and develop on-pitch chemistry with Ronaldo.
For Felix, the move offers a clear run at regular football, an opportunity to rehabilitate his career, and the platform to impress ahead of Portugal‘s 2026 World Cup campaign. Benfica, meanwhile, will look elsewhere after missing out on their prodigal son once again, while Chelsea are anticipated to accelerate their pursuit of RB Leipzig‘s Xavi Simons as the transfer window progresses.
