Immediately after Christmas, all Manchester United fans had grief when the long-time target of the attack, Cody Gakpo, secured a move to arch-rival Liverpool.
There have been more reports over the past few weeks linking the Dutchman with a move to Old Trafford, and there is hope that a deal will be concluded quickly.
But in an unexpected twist, the Merseyside club got ahead of United and made an ultra-fast deal with the PSV striker from Eindhoven, the news of which appeared just an hour before confirmation came.
Grief for United
Eric ten Hag and Gakpo worked in the same agency, and United even talked to the striker in the summer before eventually signing Anthony.
The former Ajax boss has publicly stated that his team lacks the firepower ahead, which made a deal with Gakpo even more likely.
But now that the 23-year-old is out of reach, the Red Devils need to figure out how best to solve their scoring crisis.
Other options include Joao Felix, Gonzalo Ramos, Rafael Leao and Memphis Depay. But getting the likes of Ramos and Leao would be too far, given how strained the finances at the club are.
While Depay would prove to be a short-term option, Felix would represent a brilliant option in the future, and Atletico Madrid is open to negotiating a loan deal in January.
Chelsea have joined the race for Joao Felix while Liverpool are about to sign Cody Gakpo.
Erik ten Hag will certainly be furious because he obviously wanted Gakpo but could miss out due to Man Utd being slow. Embarrassing!
— UtdFaithfuls (@UtdFaithfuls) December 26, 2022
Felix’s relationship with Atletico boss Diego Simeone has completely soured, and since the disgruntled striker is no longer happy in Madrid, the club said it was open to the star’s departure.
According to The Peoples Person, the Red Devils and Arsenal are fighting for a Portuguese national team player, and the Gunners are believed to be in pursuit at the moment.
Chelsea can beat United and Arsenal
However, as The Daily Telegraph reports, Chelsea are considering a deal for the initial loan of Atletico Madrid’s Joao Felix to bolster Graham Potter’s attack in the second half of the season.”
In January, Potter is targeting a defender and a goalscoring striker, and Felix is perfect for that.
“According to Spanish sources, Atletico are preparing for an offer from Chelsea as they hope to return to the Champions League places,” the statement said.
Chelsea are considering a loan with an option or a buyout commitment in the summer, depending on the conditions that Atletico chooses for Felix’s departure.”
Recent comments made by journalists have shown that Ten Hag wants an excellent striker in the form of a traditional No. 9, and if this is true, Felix might be better off going elsewhere.
