- Joao Felix wants to return to boyhood club Benfica
- Chelsea's valuation too high for Benfica
- Attacker's agent to mediate deal between the clubs
Getty ImagesJoao Felix agent set for crucial Chelsea talks to force through Benfica move despite Portuguese giants offering far below asking price

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There is a 30-day money-back guarantee for new users. The plan is available on a one-month rolling contract, although those that sign up for a 12-month plan (offering one year plus an extra three months) can save around 60%, while those that sign up for a two-year plan (offering two years plus an extra four months) can save 67%. Both longer-term plans include a 3GB holiday.com eSIM that is valid for five days in 150+ destinations.

Basic
Those that sign up for ExpressVPN's entry-level Basic plan gain access to a high-speed VPN, which offers high-capacity 40Gbps servers in many high-demand locations, with VPN servers in 113 countries worldwide.
The VPN can be applied across 10 different devices simultaneously, and offers Lite Protection that blocks ads and malicious and adult websites. A dedicated IP is available to be purchased as an add-on.
Additionally, ExpressVPN's Basic plan includes the ExpressMailGuard, which offers a 10MB/month private email relay plus 10 shared aliases.
There is a 30-day money-back guarantee for new users. The plan is available on a one-month rolling contract, although those that sign up for a 12-month plan (offering one year plus an extra three months) can save more than 60%, while those that sign up for a two-year plan (offering two years plus an extra four months) can save 80%.

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Additionally, ExpressVPN's Advanced plan includes the ExpressMailGuard, which offers a 100MB/month private email relay plus 50 shared aliases and a custom domain, and ExpressKeys, which gives users a password management facility for an unlimited number of passwords plus a 2FA authenticator.
There is a 30-day money-back guarantee for new users. The plan is available on a one-month rolling contract, although those that sign up for a 12-month plan (offering one year plus an extra three months) can save more than 60%, while those that sign up for a two-year plan (offering two years plus an extra four months) can save 73%. Both longer-term plans include a 3GB holiday.com eSIM that is valid for three days in 150+ destinations.
WHAT HAPPENED?
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.
Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE
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).
TELL ME MORE
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.
GettyWHAT NEXT FOR BENFICA & CHELSEA?
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.
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