Portugal and Chelsea forward Joao Felix has completed a high-profile move to Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr in a deal worth £43.7 million.
The transfer includes an initial £26.2m fee and up to £17.5m in performance-related add-ons. He has signed a two-year contract reportedly running until 2027.
Felix, 25, joins the Riyadh-based club after an inconsistent spell in Europe, which saw him feature for Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, AC Milan, and, most recently, Chelsea.
Despite his record-breaking €127.7m move from Benfica to Atletico in 2019, the forward has struggled to meet expectations and never scored more than 10 goals in a single season.
In a welcome video posted on Al Nassr’s official X (formerly Twitter) account, Félix said, “I’m here to spread joy. Let’s win together.”
The Portugal international made 20 appearances and scored seven goals for Chelsea in the 2024/25 season, having joined on loan from Atlético Madrid. He spent the second half of the campaign at AC Milan before sealing this permanent switch to Saudi Arabia.
Felix will reportedly earn $10 million per year, according to Riyadh sports daily Arriyadiyah. He becomes one of the youngest top players to join the Saudi Pro League, bucking the trend of ageing stars moving to the kingdom.
At Al Nassr, he will link up with fellow Portuguese Jorge Jesus, who recently took charge after a stint with Al Hilal. The club continues to build around Cristiano Ronaldo, who ignited the Saudi football spending spree with his move in 2023.
