Fansided

5 of the biggest transfer deals (so far) this summer

By Clemente Lisi

MADRID, SPAIN - JULY 8: Atletico Madrid's new transfer Portuguese Joao Felix (2nd L) and President of Atletico Madrid Club Enrique Cerezo (2nd R) pose for a photo during Felix's presentation in Madrid, Spain on July 08, 2019. Spanish club has paid 126 million to Benfica for Felix, meaning the teenager forward became the most expensive player in the clubs history. (Photo by Burak Akbulut/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN - JULY 8: Atletico Madrid's new transfer Portuguese Joao Felix (2nd L) and President of Atletico Madrid Club Enrique Cerezo (2nd R) pose for a photo during Felix's presentation in Madrid, Spain on July 08, 2019. Spanish club has paid 126 million to Benfica for Felix, meaning the teenager forward became the most expensive player in the clubs history. (Photo by Burak Akbulut/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) /
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MADRID, SPAIN – JULY 8: Atletico Madrid’s new transfer Portuguese Joao Felix (2nd L) and President of Atletico Madrid Club Enrique Cerezo (2nd R) pose for a photo during Felix’s presentation in Madrid, Spain on July 08, 2019. Spanish club has paid 126 million to Benfica for Felix, meaning the teenager forward became the most expensive player in the clubs history. (Photo by Burak Akbulut/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN – JULY 8: Atletico Madrid’s new transfer Portuguese Joao Felix (2nd L) and President of Atletico Madrid Club Enrique Cerezo (2nd R) pose for a photo during Felix’s presentation in Madrid, Spain on July 08, 2019. Spanish club has paid 126 million to Benfica for Felix, meaning the teenager forward became the most expensive player in the clubs history. (Photo by Burak Akbulut/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) /

Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid from Benfica)

Portugal may have given us Cristiano Ronaldo, but Atletico Madrid is banking that 19-year-old striker Joao Felix will be another big superstar to come from the Iberian Peninsula nation.

The former Benfica player signed with Atletico after the Spanish club shelled out $130 million. Several big clubs were interested in signing Felix, but only Atletico was willing to pay Benfica’s steep asking price. At the time of Felix’s signing, the transfer fee was the fifth-highest ever paid for a player after Neymar (PSG from Barcelona), Kylian Mbappe (PSG from Monaco), Philippe Coutinho (Barcelona from Liverpool) and Ousmane Dembele (Barcelona from Borussia Dortmund).

“Cristiano [Ronaldo] is a great player, now the best in the world and maybe the best ever,” Felix told reporters after his signing was made official. “When we were with the national team, he talked me about Madrid a lot. I am here to make my history, the comparisons are not that good. Cristiano is Cristiano and I want to be myself.”

Felix, who turns 20 in November, tallied 20 goals in 43 games last season across all competitions, including a hat trick in the Europa League. He will wear the No. 7 jersey at Atleti following the subsequent departure of Antoine Griezmann.

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