"The club already knows him from two years ago" - Enzo Maresca responds when asked why Chelsea signed Joao Felix

Chelsea manager has reacted positively to the signing of Portuguese forward João Felix from Atletico Madrid. The Blues reportedly splashed the sum of £46.3 million to secure the permanent transfer of the 24-year-old forward.

Felix returns to West London for a second stint after previously joining the Blues on a six-month loan during the second half of the 2022-23 football season.

The Portuguese now become the latest addition to new coach, Enzo Maresca's squad for the 2024-25 football campaign.

Speaking about what he makes of the signing of Felix from Atletico Madrid, Maresca was full of kind words for the Portuguese forward. He went on to label the Portuguese international as a talented player and also acknowledged his versatility.

Maresca said in the pre-match press conference when asked why Chelsea signed Joao Felix:

"First of all because he's a good player. He's a talent. The club already knows him from two years ago. The good thing about Joao is he can play different positions, inside, as a nine, outside; this is the reason why."

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João Felix reacts after signing for Chelsea

The Portuguese forward has officially secured a move to Chelsea from Spanish club side Atletico Madrid, putting pen-to-paper on a seven-year contract with the Blues.

The transfer marks his return to Stamford Bridge after having previously played for the West London giants on loan during the 2022-23 football campaign.

Felix, who netted four goals in 16 Premier League appearances while on loan with the Blues, would be hoping to pick up from where he left two seasons ago.

Following his announcement as a new Blues player, Felix revealed that he's very excited to be back at the club. He said as quoted by the club's official website:

“I loved my time here before and I told my friends and family that I’d love to return to the Premier League one day."

“To do that with Chelsea is a great feeling and I’m excited to be back," he added.

It would be interesting to see how the 24-year-old forward would perform this season under head coach Maresca.