After all that talk about coming home, Joao Felix lands - at Al Nassr

For weeks, the Portuguese forward lamented that he just wanted to go home - back to Benfica, after an unsuccessful loan spell at AC Milan. Chelsea had no intention of keeping him, and everything was seemingly in place for a return to the Estadio da Luz. Then, in a stunning twist, the deal took a completely different direction.

Chelsea officially announced the transfer - only not to Benfica.

From Saudi Arabia came a phone call from Cristiano Ronaldo, inviting Joao Felix to join Al Nassr. The former prodigy, once hailed as the most talented player of his generation, accepted the offer without hesitation, proving once again the old saying: money talks where reason walks.

For Chelsea, the deal turned out to be a masterstroke - though the biggest winner might just be Felix himself. While Benfica was prepared to pay €25 million for 50% of his rights, Al Nassr shelled out €30 million up front, with easily achievable bonuses expected to push the total package beyond €50 million.

Instead of the €3 million salary offered by Benfica president Rui Costa - along with the club’s iconic No. 10 shirt - Felix will now earn a staggering €17.5 million net per season at Al Nassr. That’s more than double what he was making at Stamford Bridge, where his annual wages were around €7.5 million.

Exclusive lavish company: Neymar, CR7, Lukaku, Felix... Wait, Felix?!

Thanks to the efforts of Cristiano Ronaldo and coach Jorge Jesus, Felix will now become one of the highest-paid footballers in Saudi Arabia. He's still far behind Ronaldo, who earns over €200 million annually, and Karim Benzema, whose base salary stands at €85 million, with bonuses potentially lifting it to similar heights. Sadio Mane (€40 million) and Riyad Mahrez (up to €45 million) also remain ahead of him.

Chelsea, meanwhile, has gained valuable financial flexibility and is now reportedly preparing to launch a major bid for Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig. The German side is holding out for a minimum of €70 million.

Though still shy of his 26th birthday, Joao Felix will now join a small group of players for whom clubs have collectively spent over €225 million in transfer fees and loans - yet with little return on investment. The lone exception? Benfica, which cashed in €127 million when Atletico Madrid signed him six years ago.