Diego Simeone insists has a future at Atletico Madrid after Chelsea rejected the chance to sign the forward on a permanent deal.
Felix, who was signed by Atletico for £113 million (€126m) from Benfica in 2019, has struggled to make an impact during his time in La Liga.
Following reports of a rift between Felix and Simeone, the Portugal international was allowed to join Chelsea on loan in the January transfer window for the remainder of the season.
However, the 23-year-old has not done enough to convince Chelsea and new manager .
Atletico are still actively looking to sell Felix before the start of next season but Simeone is adamant that he would welcome the forward back into his squad.
‘Joao is an player who, if he does not have a place at , as Pochettino apparently said, he will have to come to Atletico de Madrid, he will have to work with us again, and obviously we will be willing to give him the best for that he can improve in what we believe is important,’ Simeone said in an interview with .
‘He has enormous conditions, he heads well, he hits well with both feet… he will be what he wants to be. It is a reality that is shown in the game.
When asked about reports that he and Felix did not get along, Simeone replied: ‘I don’t have any problem with anyone.
‘I have a very open head to give myself up. We have to see if Joao’s departure is good financially for the club, and that’s not where my figure enters.
‘Last season it was more irregular, like the whole team. It would be unfair to say that the team was not playing well because of Joao, that would be a lie.
‘The team is playing well now because they all play in the same way, and if Joao were there, if he I would have adapted, he would be playing well too.’
Asked if Felix is aware of what’s required to succeed at Atletico, Simeone said: ‘It is one more question for him, possibly he is the one who has to respond to these things. We have been with this way of working for 11 years.
‘He had to go to Chelsea to be with Lampard, he has made the comment on the culture of work. It’s in him.
‘If he wants to, he will be a great footballer. There are guys who mature from football.’
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