"We will see..." - Manager drops hint Man Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea target could leave in January

Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone has remained coy on Joao Felix's future but insists he will continue to work with the striker "while he's here".

Felix, 23, has been strongly linked with a move away from Atletico Madrid in the January transfer window after struggling for minutes this season under Simeone.

The Portugal international has regularly found himself on the bench and has managed only five goals in the current campaign, although he did score in Thursday's 2-0 win over Elche after being handed a rare start by Simeone.

Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal have all been linked with Felix, who has struggled to live up to expectations since joining Atletico in a £113m move from Benfica in 2019 – which remains the fourth-most expensive transfer in history.

Could Felix be sold in January?

It is believed that Felix could be allowed to leave in January, either on a permanent deal or on loan.

Earlier this month, Spanish publication AS claimed that Atletico have slapped a €100m (£86m) price tag on the Portugal international.

More recent reports claim Atletico are also willing to allow him to move clubs for the remainder of the season, but only if another team is willing to pay an £8m loan fee.

Simeone gives Felix update after Elche win

Simeone has kept tight-lipped on Felix’s future but has hinted an exit could be a possibility for the striker.

"While he's here, I'll try to get the best out of Joao Felix for the club," Simeone said after the win over Elche.

"Then we will see what's going to happen."

His comments come after Atletico chief executive Gil Marin admitted Felix could seek a move away from the Spanish club in January.

"[Joao Felix] is the biggest bet this club has taken in its history. I personally think he's a top talent, a world-class player," Marin told TVE.

"For reasons it isn't worth getting into - the relationship between him and the boss [Simeone], the minutes played, his motivation right now - it makes you think that the reasonable thing is that if there's an option that's good for the player, good for the club, we can look at it.

“I'd love him to stay personally, but I don't think that's the player's idea."

Topics: Atletico Madrid, Diego Simeone, La Liga, Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Football, Premier League, Transfers

Rory O'Callaghan

Rory O'Callaghan is Editorial Lead at SPORTbible. He has previously worked for Sky Sports News, MailOnline and Reach covering football, cricket, boxing and MMA. Tested daily as a Liverpool fan in a Manchester office.

@rory_ocallaghan