Joao Felix can secure dream Chelsea shirt number amid Raheem Sterling rumours

Joao Felix could be in line to reclaim his favourite shirt number at Chelsea this summer if he returns to Stamford Bridge and Raheem Sterling also leaves the club.

There are talks gathering pace that the Portuguese international might be making a return to Stamford Bridge after a six-month stint there in 2023. The potential move comes as Chelsea’s £34.5million deal for Atletico Madrid striker Samu Omorodion appears to have hit a snag, sparking rumours of that they are now in negotiations with the La Liga side to bring Felix back to west London.

In a surprising twist, Sterling has also emerged as a transfer target for Italian giants Juventus this summer, reportedly making the Serie A sides shortlist for fresh talent. Reports say that the 29-year-old is one of several names being considered by the Italians as they look to bolster their attack, as per Football.London.

However, should Sterling depart, it could open the door for Felix to potentially claim the winger’s number seven jersey. The Atletico star donned the number seven from 2019 to 2023 at the Metropolitano until he was stripped of the number following a disagreement with manager Diego Simeone.

Felix’s preferred number, which he also wore during his time in Benfica’s youth team, was then given to his teammate Antoine Griezmann, leaving the Portuguese star with the number 18. During his short stint at Chelsea, Felix donned the number 11 shirt, but with Noni Madueke currently occupying that number, Felix will need a new jersey if he makes a return to the Blues – and if Sterling departs then a touching reunion between Felix and his squad number could be on the cards.

The potential exit of Sterling might come as a surprise to some fans but given the winger’s challenging and somewhat inconsistent performance since his move to the Blues from Manchester City in the summer of 2022 it’s a transfer that’s likely been considered. As per Gianluca Di Marzio, the Blues’ recent signing of Wolves winger Pedro Neto could also potentially hasten any departure for the former Liverpool player.

Felix, who has previously expressed his fondness for Chelsea, remains the fourth most expensive player in history following his £113million transfer from Benfica to Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2019. However, he fell out of favour with the Spanish side after the fallout with Simeone.

If Felix makes an unexpected return to Chelsea this summer, and Sterling chooses to leave, Enzo Maresca’s team could sport a fresh look for the upcoming season. The new manager has already made his presence felt at the Blues by introducing several new players.

Under the stewardship of Todd Boehly, Chelsea have been typically active in the transfer market, so far bringing in a host of new names including Omari Kellyman, Aaron Anselmino, Renato Veiga, Caleb Wiley, Marc Guiu, Estevao Willian, Tosin Adarabioyo, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Filip Jorgensen.