The Paseo de Leyendas counts the hours to have a new member. And it will be, nothing more and nothing less, the most expensive signing in the history of the club. João Félix will reach 100 matches with Atlético if he participates in the duel against Osasuna (16:15) and will meet the criteria stipulated by the club to have his plaque outside the Wanda Metropolitano.
The Portuguese has needed little more than two and a half seasons to get it and follow the list of players signed in the summer of 2019 who reach centenarianswhere in the month of January Renan Lodi and Marcos Llorente served as predecessors and Felipe and Mario Hermoso will be the next to do so. João Félix has scored 22 goals, two of them last season at El Sadar in one of his best games, and he has provided 13 assists in 99 games who has played as an athletic player and for the moment he has been a footballer more of flashes than of continuity in Simeone’s plans.
Plays to remember, such as in his league debut against Getafe causing a penalty after leaving five rivals, pipes, technical details, a start to the 2020-21 season of maximum enthusiasm… but without continuity. The injuries, the tactical and defensive difficulties and the constant fouls of the rivals when receiving the ball They have not helped his growth at Atlético. The 2020 Golden Boy suffered last year an ankle injury when he was finally getting his place on the pitch and the brightness that was glimpsed in his signing from Benfica and after enduring for months and undergoing surgery in the summer, this course has not managed to establish himself as a rojiblanco benchmark either.
Of course, João Félix is 22 years old and has a huge future ahead of him. When there is already a debate about his continuity next season, the portuguese has to make that leap in quality in the goals that remain at this end of the course. Atlético needs to finish in the top four and the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 against Manchester United is just around the corner. Several of João’s best performances with Atlético have come in the top European competition, scoring six goals and two assists and games at their peak. The ‘7’ will probably become a legend today, at least outside the Wanda Metropolitano. Now he needs to be able to do it on the pitch as well.