Chelsea have signed Portugal forward Joao Felix from Spanish clubside Atletico Madrid on a loan deal until the end of the season, both clubs said on Wednesday.

British media reported that Chelsea would pay around €10 million ($10.75 million) for Mr Felix.

The 23-year-old has struggled for consistency this season and started seven of Atletico Madrid’s 16 league games. He has five goals and three assists in 20 games in all competitions.

Felix scored once in five FIFA World Cup appearances as Portugal exited at the quarter-final stage in Qatar in December.

He started in Atletico Madrid’s 0-1 home loss to LaLiga leaders FC Barcelona on Sunday and was substituted after 73 minutes.

“Chelsea is one of the great teams in the world and I hope to help the team reach their objectives. So, I am very, very happy to be here and very excited to play at Stamford Bridge,” Felix said in a statement released by the English clubside.

Felix became the fourth most expensive player of all time when he joined Atletico Madrid for €126 million from Benfica in 2019 as a teenager.

A versatile forward, Felix can play as a striker, attacking midfielder or on the flanks.

But he has struggled to live up to his price tag since moving to Spain.

He has scored 34 goals in 131 appearances for Atletico Madrid and won the 2020/2021 league title.

Chelsea have already been active in the January transfer window, bringing in Benoit Badiashile, David Fofana and Andrey Santos .

Felix will further bolster their injury-hit squad as well as strengthen their options in attack, with Raheem Sterling, Christian Pulisic and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang all sidelined.

Graham Potter’s side have scored only 20 goals in 17 Premier League games so far and sit 10th, 10 points off the top four.

Chelsea have lost five of their last seven games in all competitions and have been knocked out of the FA Cup and League Cup.

They return to action at Fulham in the league on Thursday.

(Reuters/NAN)