Football News : Atletico Madrid CEO hints Joao Felix could leave Wanda Metropolitano

Following a disappointing first half of the season, Atletico Madrid CEO Gil Marin has said that "elite talent" Joao Felix is eager to depart Wanda Metropolitano in 2023.

This season, the 23-year-old has had trouble making an impact for the Red and Whites, managing just four goals and three assists in 18 appearances across all competitions. In three appearances at the competition, the attacker has been a stand out for Portugal at the 2022 World Cup, recording one goal and two assists.

Felix scored against Ghana on November 24, but his best tournament performance came during Tuesday's 6-1 win over Switzerland in the round of 16, when he contributed two assists to help Fernando Santos' team advance to the quarterfinals.

Although Marin has stated that he wants Felix to stay at Atletico, the former Benfica youth appears to be seeking to depart the team after this season.

"[Joao Felix] is the biggest bet this club has taken in its history. I personally think he's a top talent, a world class player,"

he told TVE.

"For reasons it isn't worth getting into - the relationship between him and the boss [Diego Simeone], the minutes played, his motivation right now - it makes you think that the reasonable thing is that if there's an option that's good for the player, good for the club, we can look at it."

"I'd love him to stay personally, but I don't think that's the player's idea."

Following Portugal's victory over Switzerland, Felix appeared to poke fun at Atletico by saying that "the circumstances are favourable" for him to play for the national team.

"The way you play here and at the club are different. When the conditions are favourable, things go better,"

he told reporters.

"The preparation was the same as the other games. We saw what was best and worst and played because of that, not losing our identity. We played a great game, perhaps the best so far."

"We are focused and believe completely in us. I hope it's been shown that we have a great team, we know what we want. We have the support of everyone, and won't be held back."

While the attacker is still frequently linked to Manchester United, a recent rumour stated that Aston Villa had emerged as a surprise candidate for his services.

Felix joined Atletico from Benfica in the summer of 2019, and in 129 appearances since then, he has tallied 33 goals and 18 assists.

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