Joao Felix has said he wants to ‘find a home’ at Chelsea after returning to the club on a permanent deal.
Felix has joined Chelsea from Atletico Madrid for a fee in the region of £42m, returning to West London for a second spell after a short loan with the Blues in 2022/23.
The Portugal international struggled to live up to expectations as he scored four times in 20 appearances, but believes he returns to the Premier League an improved player.
Felix said he is confident his best years are ahead and said he is better prepared for the demands of English football as he returns to Stamford Bridge.
“It’s a chance for me to find a home,” he told the club’s official website.
“After two loans (Chelsea and Barcelona), I needed to stay permanently in one place. There is no better place for me to be than Chelsea. I see a perfect place to shine.
“It was a little bit of a lot of things that made me want to come back: the project, the club, the league, the fans, the time I spent here that I loved. I felt really good when I was here, despite the results we had. I’m really happy to be back.
“I’ve developed as a player in a lot of ways: the perception of the game, and the spaces the ball can arrive easily where I can make more impact. I try to figure it out by watching videos of my games.
“I’ve kind of changed since I was last here. I’m 24 now, I’ll be 25 in November. I feel like I grew up as a player. That’s normal with age. I’m more prepared for the Premier League.
“I feel like my best years are ahead of me. I have no doubt about that. The best years are still to come, and this year is going to be a good year, because now I am permanently at home, and I can enjoy home.”
On the arrival of Felix, Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca said: “First of all because he’s a good player, he’s a talent. The club already knows him from two years ago. He can play different positions with us, inside, as a nine, outside.”
