Joao Felix Joins, AC Milan Appears With A New Face Against AS Roma

New AC Milan player Joao Felix. (X/@acmilan)

JAKARTA - AC Milan appeared with a new face after being busy signing players and then releasing some old players. Including borrowing the front player Joao Felix from Chelsea. Milan's new face will face AS Roma in the Coppa Italia quarter-final match at the San Siro Stadium, Thursday, February 6, 2025 in the morning WIB.

Felix became one of five players recruited by Milan in the January 2025 transfer market. The loan process for the former Barcelona player was only completed at midnight before the deadline on Monday, February 3, 2025.

The transfer further confirmed Felix as a player who is often borrowed. Ironically, this Portuguese national team player was once mentioned as a young star who would skyrocket when Atletico Madri recruited from Benfica.

Only, Felix, whose transfer was ranked fourth as the most expensive, failed to make a maximum contribution at Atletico. Moreover, he then had a fight with coach Diego Simeone. In the aftermath, the 25-year-old player was loaned to Chelsea.

After being loaned by the Blues, Felix was then kicked out to Barcelona on loan as well. Luckily he was then permanent for Chelsea at the start of the 2024/2025 season. But he did not last long at Stamford Bridge and is now on loan to Milan until June 2025.

"AC Milan is pleased to announce Joao Felix Sequeira's recruitment from Chelsea FC. The Portuguese national team player has signed a contract with the club ending on June 30, 2025," the official explanation from Milan said.

"He was born in Viseu, Portugal on November 10, 1999, his career as a growing player in his country by playing in Padrose and Porto before joining Benfica. He made his debut in 2017 and won the Portuguese league title. In 2019, he moved to Atletico Madrid and won La Liga. Next, he wore the Barcelona and Chelsea jersey. Joao Felix has scored 75 goals during 259 appearances in his career."

"In June 2019, Joao made his debut in the Portugal national team. He scored nine goals during 45 appearances in the national team and won the 2019 UEFA Nations League. Joao Felix will wear the number 79 jersey," the club said in a statement.

Felix's recruitment makes Milan the busiest club in the stock exchange. Previously, the Rossoneri brought in Manchester City defender Kyle Walker who had made his debut against Inter Milan in the Derby della Madonnina which ended in a 1-1 draw. Even Walker immediately played for 90 minutes.

Furthermore, the elite Italian Serie A club brought Santiago Gimenez from Feyennoord, Warren Bondo from Monza and Riccardo Sottil who borrowed from Fiorentina.

Milan then released striker Alvaro Morata who joined Galatasaray and Davide Calabria on loan from Bologna. Both of them made a fuss with coach Sergio Conceicao so they chose to leave.

Even Morata hopes to leave Milan as soon as possible because they don't feel comfortable being handled by Conceicao. In addition, Milan released Noah Okafor to Napoli and Ismael Bennacer was recruited by Marseille.

Then who started the match against Roma in the Coppa Italia? Nothing. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, none of the new players will play since the first minute of the quarter-final match.

But the media gave an exception to Walker who played quite well in his debut at Milano Derby. He will again be the first choice. Moreover, Milan has been left by Calabria who can play behind.

Felix still has the opportunity to make his debut when he is fit. It's just that he may start the match by sitting on the bench. Likewise, Santiago Gimenez is thought to have just been fielded as a substitute.