‘Out of it’: Player endures bad start at new club just days after leaving Chelsea
Joao Felix has left Chelsea for Al-Nassr after an underwhelming second stint with the Blues.
After a turbulent negotiation between Chelsea and Al-Nassr, Joao Felix has departed the club.
The deal was confirmed on Wednesday, with Felix posting an emotional goodbye under Chelsea’s post on Instagram.
It didn’t take long for Felix to make his Al-Nassr debut against Toulouse, starting alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Sadio Mane, with the Saudi outfit coming away as 2-1 winners.
But comments coming from the Al-Nassr dressing room already indicate Felix is not as prepared as they would like.
Al-Nassr manager Jorge Jesus claims Joao Felix is ‘completely out of it’
Former Benfica boss Jorge Jesus was a key factor for Felix choosing Al-Nassr, alongside Ronaldo.
Jesus knows Felix intimately, but was quite honest when asked about the 25-year-old’s start to life in Al-Nassr, saying: “He’s completely out of it. He needs to prepare better and train.”
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“He’s only had three training sessions with us, but I believe in his football and I believe he’ll return to his Benfica form.”
Felix being out of shape is nothing new, and furthers the narrative around his mentality. But Jesus hasn’t been the only critic of Felix in recent days, with a former Chelsea player and teammate of the Portuguese international speaking out this week.
Saul Niguez blames Joao Felix’s work ethic for lack of success at Chelsea
Speaking to COPE radio on the day the deal was announced, Saul Niguez said: “He has all the qualities to be an incredible player, but no matter how good you are, if you don’t work hard, it’s not enough.
“I heard Paco Jemez [former Rayo Vallecano manager] say that talent without effort is worthless. Many of us tried to help Joao, but if you don’t want to…”
Saul had an underwhelming stint at Chelsea himself, but on the whole, it’s fair to say he maximised his potential, going down as an Atletico Madrid legend. Having worked closely with Felix, it’s fair to say he has a good idea of how the 25-year-old trains.
Enzo Maresca clearly agreed with Saul’s assessment, as he never fully trusted Felix with a first-team role.
But at just 25, there’s still time to turn things around as he enters his prime years. Felix can earn an incredible amount in the Gulf over the two years he is signed for, and potentially make a return to European football with many years of football left to play.
from Chelsea FC Latest News & Club Updates | The Chelsea Chronicle https://ift.tt/Tsf6M4S
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