The Athletic have a jewel in your template. And Simeone has been polishing it for a year and a half so that it can shine as it is doing since the beginning of this season. Rather since the stoppage due to the coronavirus health crisis, from which João Félix has already returned, making it clear that he wants to lead the rojiblanco team.
The 21-year-old footballer has overcome the transition year, the leap from going from the Portuguese league to the Spanish one, and having to bring the flashes of class to a more resounding continuity in the matches, to establish itself as one of the greatest promises in world football, already a reality. João Félix enjoys in this Atleti, a more cheerful team, which He rules in games with possession and where he feels key. Promoting their football has been one of the reasons for this change of style carried out by Cholo. The '7' has found his position on the field, as a second striker with freedom of movement to fall regularly to the left wing and has in Koke and Carrasco its best partners.
Also the arrival of Suárez as a point reference, fixing the centrals, and the growth of Correa and Llorente in attack has been decisive to see the best João Félix. But mainly that jump has been produced by maturity and the ability to understand the game on the part of the Portuguese, beyond the undoubted talent. Involved in a team with a license to dream, especially in the League, João Félix feels more and more important to guide the colchoneros attacks, both as a channel of the last pass and as a defining player.
What João Felix He has a huge future, nobody doubts it, you just have to see him play. Since the game against Leipzig of last season, where Atlético was eliminated in the quarterfinals, João Félix has scored four goals in six Champions League games. The penalty against the Germans, a double against Salzburg and the goal to get ahead against Bayern. Also, LaLiga started with five goals and three assists in ten games. A total of eight goals so far this year that already places him at one of his mark from last season.
The most valuable player in LaLiga
An enormous growth that has also been reflected in stripes, recognitions, as the award for best player in LaLiga in November and in market value. If in his first year the difficulties to have continuity in the games, going from the right wing to the front and the injuries led him to see how its price fell to 80 million, its beginning of course has been a new upward explosion. Despite the general decline in the market value of players due to the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus, João Félix has grown again to a value of 100 million according to the specialized page Transfermarkt.
A figure that already places him as the ninth most sought-after player in the world (tied with Haaland, Sancho and Messi) and where among the previous eight only Mbappe, the leader of the table (180 million) and Alexander-Arnold (€ 110M), they can compete with the Portuguese in age. Yes Sterling (128), Neymar (128), Mané (120), Salah (120), Kane (120) and De Bruyne (120) they already have a longer career on their backs, João Félix has all the future ahead and there is no one who dares to put a ceiling on it.
The player must stay focused on football, progressing in his maturity as he has been doing and listening to Simeone and the leaders of the dressing room. João Felix and Atlético go hand in hand and a good part of the team's options to do great things will depend on its evolution. LaLiga has a new star and Atleti a reference on which to establish a project that at the moment is allowing the rojiblancos fans to dream.