Al-Nassr ‘offer 10 times salary’ to sign Joao Felix from Chelsea
Joao Felix is set to join Al-Nassr after turning down a potential return to Benfica, with the Saudi Arabian club reportedly offering the Portuguese forward a salary ten times higher than the one proposed by his former team.
Joao Felix is set to join Al-Nassr after turning down a potential return to Benfica, with the Saudi Arabian club reportedly offering the Portuguese forward a salary ten times higher than the one proposed by his former team.
According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, Al-Nassr will pay Chelsea a fixed fee of €30m (£25.3m), plus €20m (£16.9m) in performance-related add-ons. The only remaining step before the deal is completed is the player’s medical.
As reported by A Bola, Felix will earn €70m (£59m) over the course of a two-year contract, equating to €35m (£29.5m) per season.
For comparison, the 25-year-old earned €8m (£6.7m) per year, tax-free, at Chelsea. In negotiations with Benfica, he had reportedly accepted a reduced salary of €3m (£2.5m) per season — the club’s maximum pay cap — before Al-Nassr’s lucrative offer arrived.
The Saudi Pro League side, owned by the country’s Public Investment Fund, has continued its strategy of signing high-profile European players in a bid to grow the league’s global reputation and competitive level.
One of the highest earners in Saudi Arabia
Felix now enters the top five earners in the Saudi Pro League. According to Capology, only Cristiano Ronaldo, Riyad Mahrez, Karim Benzema and Sadio Mane are set to earn more annually.
Highest reported salaries in the Saudi Pro League (per season):
Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr) — €208.4m (£175.4m)
Riyad Mahrez (Al-Ahli) — €52.2m (£43.9m)
Karim Benzema (Al-Ittihad) — €50m (£42.1m)
Sadio Mane (Al-Nassr) — €40m (£33.7m)
Joao Felix (Al-Nassr) — €35m (£29.5m)
From rising star to struggling journeyman
Felix was once regarded as one of the most promising players of his generation, breaking through at Benfica with impressive performances that led Atletico Madrid to pay €126m (£112m) for his services in July 2019.
However, the Portuguese international struggled to live up to expectations in the Spanish capital. His time at Atletico was marred by inconsistency, injuries and clashes with head coach Diego Simeone.
In January 2023, he joined Chelsea on loan but failed to make a lasting impact. A season-long loan to Barcelona followed, though he once again found it difficult to secure a regular place in the starting lineup.
Despite those struggles, Chelsea made his transfer permanent in August 2024, paying €52m (£44m). Yet Felix continued to struggle for form and was loaned out to AC Milan in January, where he endured another underwhelming spell.
Al-Nassr are now hoping to revive the career of the talented but inconsistent forward, giving Felix another opportunity to rediscover his best form.
This article was originally published on Trivela.
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