Joao Felix Set to Join Ronaldo at Al-Nassr in £43.7m Deal

Joao Felix is on the verge of a major move to the Saudi Pro League, with Al-Nassr agreeing a deal worth up to £43.7 million to bring the Portuguese forward to Riyadh. The 25-year-old has been given the green light to travel for a medical and wrap up his transfer, which will see him reunite with Cristiano Ronaldo.

Al-Nassr beat off interest from Benfica—Felix’s former club—to land the attacker, who had a brief loan spell at AC Milan earlier this year. Chelsea had signed him from Atletico Madrid for £45 million just last summer, and now seem fortunate to be recouping nearly all of that fee. Felix is set to cost Al-Nassr an initial £26 million, and the deal includes add-ons that could push it closer to £43.7 million. According to French outlet Foot Mercato, Ronaldo played a key role in convincing Felix to join him in Saudi Arabia. Apparently, Ronaldo pitched the move by highlighting how spending an entire season together—possibly 40 to 50 games—would help their chemistry on the pitch and benefit the Portuguese national team ahead of the 2026 World Cup. 

That point reportedly hit home with Felix, who sees the logic in strengthening his link-up play with his national team captain. With Portugal boss Roberto Martinez expected to consider form and team cohesion heavily when selecting his squad for the next World Cup, Ronaldo’s argument may have been decisive.  

Felix had a rocky time at Chelsea, never really settling in after his high-profile move from Atletico. In January, the Blues sent him out on a short-term loan to AC Milan, who paid around £5 million for six months of his services. Now, with this Al-Nassr switch, he gets a chance to reset his career in a league that’s quickly attracting global names. He’s expected to sign a two-year contract at Al-Nassr, earning around €10 million annually. The forward will join the squad in Austria soon for pre-season training, marking the start of what could be a key chapter in his career. 

Back in London, Chelsea have been active in the transfer market too—both in terms of buying and selling. They've already offloaded goalkeepers Djordje Petrovic and Kepa Arrizabalaga, and winger Noni Madueke. That trio alone has brought in a decent chunk of cash. Meanwhile, the likes of Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell, Renato Veiga, and Armando Broja are all up for sale as the club looks to balance the books. With UEFA breathing down their neck due to financial fair play regulations, Chelsea are under pressure to end the summer with a positive transfer balance. They’ve already splashed £212 million on new faces like Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens, and Joao Pedro—and they remain in talks for midfield talent Xavi Simons and Ajax defender Jorrel Hato. 

But getting Felix’s wages and transfer fee off the books is a big step. With UEFA already fining the club £27 million and warning them to comply with regulations or face a Champions League registration ban, Chelsea needed this sale.