‘Have the edge’: Arsenal or Manchester United now the two most likely sides to sign Joao Felix – journalist

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Football journalist Dean Jones has suggested to The Football Terrace that Arsenal and Manchester United are now the two most likely sides to sign Joao Felix this month.

Both Mikel Arteta and Erik Ten Hag will be desperate to add fresh faces to their squads in the coming weeks, particularly in the attacking department.

Arsenal were handed a huge blow during the World Cup as Gabriel Jesus picked up a knee injury, while Erik Ten Hag lost his only senior striker in the squad in Cristiano Ronaldo.

Of course, the Red Devils have players like Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford who are capable of playing through the middle. But they will undoubtedly be keeping an eye out for suitable Ronaldo replacements, particularly after missing out on Cody Gakpo to Liverpool.

Felix looks set to leave Atletico Madrid this month after seemingly falling out of favour under Diego Simeone. The 23-year-old has been linked with a move to a host of Premier League clubs, including Arsenal and United.

And it seems the old rivals are currently the frontrunners to land the Portuguese star on loan this month, but only if Atletico lower their demands.

Arsenal or Man United most likely to sign Felix

Sky Sports reports that the La Liga outfit are demanding a total package worth around £19 million for Felix, which includes his wages.

Jones appeared on The Football Terrace today and provided an update on the player’s future.

“It genuinely is up in the air at the moment because of the valuation on him,” the transfer insider said.

“Nobody is going to pay that at the moment and Manchester United have kind of made the first steps towards this deal and they are not willing to go near it. I think it was £4 million [they were offering], which is going to be too late.

“I think it’s looking like Arsenal and Manchester United, and then Chelsea. I can’t make my way between those. I would say Arsenal need him more because he’ll make a bigger impact, at United he would be a good move but I don’t think it would be as defining in their season as it potentially could be for Arsenal.

“With Arsenal, [Mykhaylo] Mudryk on the left side, you have [Emile] Smith Rowe coming back soon, you have got situations which can unfold to help them. I just feel centrally Joao Felix could be so helpful – he could be to United too – but I just feel that Arsenal have the edge.”

The race to sign Felix seems wide open at this moment in time, with Ben Jacobs claiming yesterday that all suitors only want to pay around £5 million to take him on a loan deal.

Atletico’s demands seem slightly ambitious, especially when you consider the fact that any potential suitors will only have the player for around five-months.

That being said, Felix has been labelled as a ‘world-class‘ talent and seems like the perfect option for Arsenal as he would provide Arteta with real quality across the front-three. United also need a forward player, but they already have wingers who are similar to Felix in the way they can also play up-front.