Chelsea are reportedly considering a summer swap deal worth around £125m, which could involve offloading Joao Felix in exchange for high-value players like Fikayo Tomori and Rafael Leao, as the club plans to secure a long-term partnership for its front line.
The January transfer window may have just closed, but Chelsea’s summer plans are already taking shape. After Joao Felix made an immediate impact on his AC Milan debut—scoring off the bench in a Coppa Italia quarter-final win against AS Roma—Milan’s management are reportedly studying permanent solutions to keep the Portuguese forward for the long term. Currently, Felix is on loan, a deal that has netted Chelsea a £5m fee without a buy option. However, with manager Sergio Conceicao keen to build a striking partnership between Felix and fellow January recruit Santiago Gimenez, permanent discussions between Chelsea and AC Milan are expected this summer.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Milan are exploring various options, including an additional season-long loan for the 2025/26 campaign, or even proposing part-exchange deals. Among these, a potential swap involving Fikayo Tomori—valued at around £25m—and Rossoneri star Rafael Leao, with a combined estimated value of approximately £125m, is attracting interest. Such a swap could either significantly reduce Felix’s price tag or require Chelsea to pay extra to complete the deal. Despite tying Felix to a lucrative seven-year contract upon signing him from Atletico Madrid just over five months ago, manager Enzo Maresca has largely used him in cup competitions, favouring Cole Palmer for the No. 10 role in the Premier League. Maresca explained his rationale at a recent press conference, emphasising the need for defensive balance in a squad overloaded with attacking talent.
The January transfer window may have just closed, but Chelsea’s summer plans are already taking shape. After Joao Felix made an immediate impact on his AC Milan debut—scoring off the bench in a Coppa Italia quarter-final win against AS Roma—Milan’s management are reportedly studying permanent solutions to keep the Portuguese forward for the long term. Currently, Felix is on loan, a deal that has netted Chelsea a £5m fee without a buy option. However, with manager Sergio Conceicao keen to build a striking partnership between Felix and fellow January recruit Santiago Gimenez, permanent discussions between Chelsea and AC Milan are expected this summer.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Milan are exploring various options, including an additional season-long loan for the 2025/26 campaign, or even proposing part-exchange deals. Among these, a potential swap involving Fikayo Tomori—valued at around £25m—and Rossoneri star Rafael Leao, with a combined estimated value of approximately £125m, is attracting interest. Such a swap could either significantly reduce Felix’s price tag or require Chelsea to pay extra to complete the deal. Despite tying Felix to a lucrative seven-year contract upon signing him from Atletico Madrid just over five months ago, manager Enzo Maresca has largely used him in cup competitions, favouring Cole Palmer for the No. 10 role in the Premier League. Maresca explained his rationale at a recent press conference, emphasising the need for defensive balance in a squad overloaded with attacking talent.
