Joao Felix agent set for crucial Chelsea talks to force through Benfica move despite Portuguese giants offering far below asking price

Felix's plans to return to Lisbon have come to a halt after Benfica and Chelsea weren't able to agree on the forward's valuation. According to A Bola, Jorge Mendes will now have to get personally involved to find a way out for his player and strike a deal between the two clubs. Mendes will talk to Chelsea's co-owner, Behdad Eghbali, to find an exit from Stamford Bridge for the 25-year-old.

Chelsea paid Atletico Madrid €52 million (£45m/$60m) last year for the 2019 Golden Boy award winner. The player is now out of the club's plans and Benfica are the only viable option to offload the Portuguese. The London club want to recoup on their investment and have kept a price tag of €40m (£35m/$47m) on Felix; Benfica, on the other hand, want to sign 50 per cent of his rights for €20m (£17m/$23m).

The Eagles can increase their bid for the ex-Atletico Madrid player, but it will still be way off the Blues' valuation. Chelsea have already declined to send Felix out on loan again and are looking for a permanent solution. The Portuguese forward has expressed his desire to play for his boyhood club and hence agreed to take a pay cut to aid the negotiations. Mendes will thus have to reach a common ground which benefits both parties.

Benfica want to reunite Felix with his former coach Bruno Lage, under whom the forward rose to prominence. The Eagles have failed to win the domestic title for the past two campaigns and don't want to leave any stone unturned in their title pursuit in the upcoming season.

Driven by financial concerns, Chelsea have their own incentives to offload the player and should facilitate his transfer out of the club rather than playing hardball.