Spanish Media: Felix’s Future at Barcelona Uncertain, Renewal Priority Below Cancelo

According to AS, there is currently no guarantee within Barcelona that João Félix will remain at the Camp Nou for the upcoming season. Since July 1st, both João players – Félix and Cancelo – are no longer officially on the club’s books.

Barcelona’s inconsistent behavior on social media has been confusing, with announcements of farewells to the two “Joãos” one day, only to be deleted and replaced by congratulations on their EURO quarterfinal qualification the next. Internally, the only certainty is that keeping Félix this year will be highly challenging: Firstly, La Liga won’t allow another salary reduction under fair play rules; Secondly, his lack of playing time under Portugal’s coach Santos in the Euros has negatively impacted his sporting value and reputation.

A few days ago, Deco personally traveled to Porto, where part of his mission was to meet with agent Mendes regarding the two “Joãos.” The Barça sporting director explained the difficulties the club faces in retaining the players due to the “fair competition” regulations, especially given the constraints on all clubs imposed by La Liga. Not only are the “Joãos” in limbo, but other players like Gavi, Araujo, Inigo Martínez, and Roberto also can’t be registered normally due to these strict rules.

The club’s total wage bill remains excessively high, exceeding 100 million euros, making it currently impossible to afford the salaries of the “Joãos”: Félix earns close to 9 million euros annually, with Cancelo’s salary at Manchester City being similar. Deco asked Mendes for patience but couldn’t assure the deals would go through. In fact, Cancelo is currently a higher priority: He was targeted by Bayern’s former coach, Flick, during his tenure.