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Journalist Dean Jones has revealed that Chelsea are potentially set to have talks in the next month with Atletico Madrid about turning the Joao Felix loan into a permanent transfer.

What's the latest on Joao Felix and Chelsea?

In the winter, as Todd Boehly splashed the cash on a number of exciting deals, he opened the chequebook to fund a move for the Portuguese star.

Indeed, the Blues forked out a reported £9.69m loan fee plus wages to sign Felix from Spanish outfit Atletico Madrid for the remained of the season.

Since then, the 23-year-old has shown glimpses of his star quality with two goals in his first nine outings and it seems as though he's done enough to have Chelsea considering a permanent deal in the summer.

Indeed, while speaking on Chasing Green Arrows, Jones explained: "For Chelsea, I know that they do plan to have talks reasonably soon, probably next month, with Atletico Madrid.

"Just to see like, 'okay, what is actually the situation we're looking at here? How much is it going to be? What are the terms? What are the conditions? When can we do it?'"

Do Chelsea have the option to sign Felix permanently?

Before leaving Atletico Madrid, the talented forward extended his contract with his parent club by a year, meaning his current deal won't expire until 2027.

What's more, the loan move doesn't actually include an obligation to buy, nor is there a fee set as a possible option to negotiate. However, in an interview with AS (via TalkSport), Felix was able to elaborate on the situation.

He said: “I feel very good at Chelsea, I like the club. There’s no option to buy in the contract, so if they want to keep me, they’ll have to find an agreement with Atlético.”

Felix joined Atletico in a €126m (£111m) deal from Benfica in 2019, so he won't come cheap. But seeing as Boehly has spent £566m since taking charge of the Blues, perhaps he'll be more than happy to splash the cash once more.

Seeing as Felix has started to find his rhythm in a Chelsea shirt recently, it might be hard to let him leave. After all, in the draw with Everton last weekend, he was handing an 8/10 player rating in the Evening Standard.

Journalist Dom Smith noted: "About as effective as any Chelsea player. Turned well, had the beating of Everton’s defence with his pace, and notched his second goal for the club with a precise finish early in the second half."

A number of fans online have dropped some brutal claims on Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk after he failed to impress for Ukraine in their clash with England.

What’s the latest on Mykhailo Mudryk?

On Sunday evening, the 22-year-old represented his country at Wembley in a qualifier for Euro 2024. However, the Three Lions managed to pick up all three points with relative ease.

Indeed, two first-half goals saw Gareth Southgate’s men pick up their second win of the international break having also beaten Italy in Naples on Thursday.

It was Bukayo Saka who really stole the show from an England point of view as he laid on a superb assist for Harry Kane to open the scoring before the Arsenal man then curled one into the top corner from the edge of the box to seal the 2-0 victory.

Playing for Ukraine on the same flank, Mudryk failed to have the same sort of impact. Of course, the winger could have ended up being Saka’s teammate had things gone to plan in the winter.

After all, he seemed desperate to join Mikel Arteta and co – making several social posts about his desire to end up in north London – before Chelsea came in and convince Shakhtar Donetsk to sell for £88.5m.

And so, the 22-year-old joined Blues on a long-term contract that could keep him with the club up until 2031 – while getting paid £97,000 per week.

Mudryk has just one assist in his first six Premier League games so far in England, so it’s not as if he’s hit the ground running. At Wembley on Sunday, he failed to win over any doubters too.

Indeed, as per SofaScore, he picked up a 5.7 match rating – the lowest on the pitch for either team. What’s more, he failed to attempt any crosses, pull off any key passes or have any shots on target.

Furthermore, he won just one out of nine ground duels and didn’t make a single tackle.

In comparison, Saka picked up a man-of-the-match 8.8 rating with one goal, one assist, three key passes, two big chances created, eight out of ten ground duels and two tackles.

All in all, it’s clear Mudryk struggled to impress and it’s safe to say fans online noticed. Here are some of the strongest reactions…

Southampton have been handed a transfer boost after target Liel Abada turned down a new contract, according to reports.

What's the latest on Abada to Southampton?

The Hoops winger made the move to Celtic two years ago and won’t be out of contract until 2026, but being Ange Postecoglou’s third-best offensive player, he has caught the eye of Ruben Selles.

The Athletic reports that the Saints have identified the 21-year-old as someone they’d like to sign and sent scouts to watch him in January with a view to making an official approach at the end of the season.

The Daily Mail (via the Southern Daily Echo), later revealed that the St. Mary’s outfit are ready to pounce following a breakdown in talks to extend his stay north of the border, with his side open to offers for a fee in the region of £10m, and he’s since taken one step closer to the exit door and potentially the Premier League.

According to Football Insider, Abada has “rejected” a new contract at Celtic, with sources close to the player stating that he “wants to leave” during the upcoming window amid links to Southampton. The Bhoys attacker has “struggled” to put together a consistent run of starts as a result of the form of his fellow teammates and is therefore keen to join a club where he knows he’ll be guaranteed sufficient game time.

Should Southampton cash out on Abada?

Abada has been lauded as a “dangerous” player by journalist Josh Bunting and we think Southampton should definitely splash the cash on him in what would be a huge boost for Selles should they be able to secure his services.

The £15k-p/w talent has been on fire in the final third this season, scoring ten goals and providing five assists in 29 Scottish Premiership appearances whilst averaging 3.55 shots per game, showing that he’s fairly prolific and takes a decent percentage of the chances he creates for himself. The Israel international would also add plenty of flexibility to the squad with his ability to operate out wide on the left and right wing, as well as at centre-forward – which is a useful attribute to have should any unexpected injuries occur.

Finally, Ababa is already showing what he’s capable of despite his age having bagged the award for Best Young Player in the Premiership in 2022 whilst additionally having both Champions League and Europa League experience under his belt, so it would be a massive coup for the Saints to land someone of his calibre in the months ahead – particularly with the top-flight status hanging in the balance.

Leeds United fell to one of their most crushing defeats of the season yesterday, letting slip their slender 1-0 lead to eventually lose 5-1 to relegation rivals Crystal Palace.

It was truly a game of two halves, which saw a relentless Whites side relinquish their 1-0 advantage right before the break. Then, coming out for the final 45 minutes, the Yorkshire outfit went into a full meltdown which left both fans and the media in pure confusion.

Journalist Phil Hay wrote a series of impassioned Tweets detailing their collapse, as he first branded the result “The most bewildering half of football most of us have seen in ages”, before suggesting he hadn’t “seen a team vanish like this."

Javi Gracia seemed equally frustrated come full time, but remained as calm as ever to deliver his responses to the media whilst likely hiding his true thoughts.

The Spaniard had never suffered such humiliation since moving to Elland Road back in February, enjoying a largely successful period that had seen them rise out of the relegation zone.

However, this result has seen them firmly entrenched in the battle for survival once again.

One such question that saw the 52-year-old stutter was regarding Luke Ayling’s form, as he claimed: “He tries to do his best. In this moment, I don't want to give my personal opinion about one player.”

The former Watford boss cut a quietly frustrated figure, who likely had plenty more to say on the defender who had let his side down again.

How did Luke Ayling play vs Crystal Palace?

The reply from fellow journalist Tomi Oladipo succinctly sums up the 31-year-old’s performance, as he wrote: “He tries. He just isn’t good enough.”

The 5.3 Sofascore rating posted for the defender supports this, as he was handed the worst rating of anyone on the pitch.

This was underpinned by the fact he was dribbled past a demoralising six times, winning just six duels of the 18 competed in.

Having started their last 15 league games in a row now, there was a belief that Ayling had played his way back into form as many overlooked his shortcomings for the leadership qualities on offer.

However, against a resurgent Eagles outfit boasting the skilful exuberance of the likes of Michael Olise and Ebere Eze, the former Yeovil Town man was hopelessly out of his depth.

Of all the goals that damned Leeds to their embarrassing fate, the second right after the restart arguably was the most important.

The fact that it was all of Ayling’s doing only further exacerbates the misery of his display, which the media lapped up.

Journalist Beren Cross first highlighted his “wild diagonal” that surrendered possession, before fellow writer Phil Hay also claimed: “Ayling lets Ayew step in front of him and Ayew heads in unmarked. Poor defending all round and in the build-up. Ayling with head in hands.”

The occasional goal and good performance might mask the deficiencies of the £20k-per-week disappointment, but Gracia cannot go on with this liability in his side.

Indeed, those 'head in hands' moments have been all too frequent of late, with a lazy challenge the right-back's undoing in the defeat to Arsenal a week prior, having given away a penalty on Gabriel Jesus.

With a player like Rasmus Kristensen just waiting in the wings too, perhaps next time out the new boss could seek to ditch this defensive dud for some solidity.

Tottenham Hotspur might have won over the weekend, but it was hardly a performance for Cristian Stellini to be proud of, as they crawled over the line amidst numerous dubious refereeing decisions that swung the game in their favour.

Hosting an impressive Brighton and Hove Albion side that have more than earned their praise for this campaign, Roberto De Zerbi was bringing his outfit full of confidence that they could topple a struggling Lilywhites outfit.

Their 65% possession and 17 shots certainly suggested they nearly did so too, and that is without mentioning the penalty that they have since been told they should have had. Instead, the visitors have had to settle for zero points and yet another PGMOL apology.

That is not to suggest that there were no positives for the hosts to take, as the three points that were questionably gained have kept them somewhat in the fight for top four.

It also saw a return to form for Harry Kane and most notably Heung-min Son, who both scored in the same match once again.

However, they papered over the cracks of another all-around poor display by a few key individuals who are all perhaps overstaying their welcome.

None embodies this stance more so than Hugo Lloris, who has recently returned to the lineup.

How did Hugo Lloris play vs Brighton?

Although Saturday did not represent the Frenchman’s poorest display in a Spurs shirt, he continues to inspire little faith in his defenders with an ever-erratic style of goalkeeping.

Not for the first time did the 36-year-old come charging out from a corner only to get a weak fist onto the ball, narrowly avoiding another embarrassing mistake to add to the four that have led to a goal already this season.

His performance earned him a 6.7 rating, making just three saves and one high claim. However, it was the distribution of the £100k-per-week stopper that truly let him down. The ageing 'keeper would maintain an abysmal 45% pass accuracy, completing just 14 passes. Only three of the 20 long balls attempted actually found a man too, as per Sofascore.

As the modern-day goalkeeper evolves, constantly demanding more from them to contribute to the build-up, Lloris only gets left even further behind.

It was even a surprise to see him so quickly displace Fraser Forster, considering the gulf in quality hardly merits such a rapid recall.

Not only this, but those aforementioned VAR calls also bailed out the captain, with Alexis Mac Allister's deflection “bamboozling” the Frenchman, as per journalist Tom Barclay, for the Seagulls’ second disallowed strike.

This summer marks a huge one for Daniel Levy, who must get plenty right to ensure his outfit does not continue to stagnate.

Whilst a new manager will be top of his priorities, perhaps following that, with the transfer war chest he will likely have to promise, some funds could be invested into finally displacing Lloris this summer.

Aston Villa failed to win their sixth Premier League match in a row after slipping to a 1-1 draw against Brentford last weekend, however, coming back to steal a point showcases the improved mentality throughout Unai Emery’s side recently.

Douglas Luiz slotted home an equaliser with just a few minutes remaining, and the point further enhances Villa’s European ambitions as they sit just two points behind Tottenham Hotspur in fifth spot.

It will be a quick turnaround for the Villa Park side as they prepare to face Fulham this evening and with the Cottagers enjoying a successful season of their own, it could prove to be an exciting clash.

Emery won’t be making many changes to his team ahead of the match as Emiliano Martinez should be available after being substituted during the draw against Brentford due to illness.

Following a relatively quiet afternoon in front of goal, the Spaniard could mix things up slightly by unleashing winger Bertrand Traore against Fulham in the hopes he can continue his recent form.

Will Bertrand Traore start against Fulham?

The winger was brought back to the club by Emery in January following a six-month loan spell at Turkish side Basaksehir FK, where he scored three times, as some added cover to the wide positions.

Since returning, he has played a part in five matches and has scored twice, including a vital late winner against Leicester City at the start of April which continued their momentum.

His 12-minute cameo against the Foxes meant he started the following encounter with Nottingham Forest, and he didn’t disappoint, receiving a 7.1 rating via Sofascore for his efforts.

The 27-year-old demonstrated his talents during his first start for the club since leaving Turkey as he took three shots, won half of his ground duels, completed 91% of his passes and was fouled twice, clearly giving opposition defenders a tough time on the wing.

Although Emery perhaps sees the £17m winger as a better option to have come on from the bench and utilise his skills on tired opponents than unleashing him from the start, his display against Forest proves that he can get involved from the very first whistle.

He is still capable of producing moments of magic, with the winner against the Foxes drawing massive praise from journalist Matt Maher, who said: "You can't help but like a player like Bertrand Traore. All the times he frustrates, are forgiven when he produces something as ridiculously brilliant as that winner. Nonchalance personified."

Will Traore be the most important player for Villa during this impressive run? No, but he pops up from nowhere and produces important moments. This is why Emery has to unleash him this evening.

A running theme throughout the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era at Manchester United has been the club's tendency to be seduced by high profile players in the transfer market, with the Red Devils' often scattergun approach having seen the likes of Angel Di Maria, Radamel Falcao and Alexis Sanchez arrive at Old Trafford to limited to success.

A more recent example of that long-running trend was the decision to re-sign former icon, Cristiano Ronaldo, with the Portuguese sensation having been snapped up late in the day during the 2021 summer window.

It had appeared a notable coup at the time to be able to acquire the veteran marksman from under the noses of rivals Manchester City, with the former Juventus and Real Madrid talisman going on to make a stunning homecoming at the Theatre of Dreams, after scoring twice on his second debut in the 4-1 win over Newcastle United.

That clinical brace would set the tone for what would be a standout campaign on an individual basis for the ageing talent – as he bagged 24 goals across all competitions – although the 198-cap forward appeared to have a "negative" impact on those around him, as per pundit Danny Blind, as the club nosedived towards a disappointing, sixth-placed finish.

As United supporters are fully aware, things soon unraveled even further at the start of the current campaign as Erik ten Hag and co made the decision to allow the five-time Champions League winner to leave by mutual consent, with Ronaldo having burned his bridges at the club following that explosive interview with Piers Morgan back in November.

With the top-four hopefuls having been stung by that transfer debacle, it would seemingly be unwise to opt to sign another big name and problematic figure any time soon, albeit with The Sun suggesting that the club could target a move for Paris Saint-Germain star, Neymar, if prospective new owner, Sheikh Jassim is to take charge of the club.

The report from late last month suggested that the Qatari billionaire wishes to make the 31-year-old his first 'marquee signing' if he is to fend off Sir Jim Ratcliffe's rival bid, with recent reports claiming that the Ligue 1 giants are ready to let the Brazilian enigma leave the club this summer.

Should Man United sign Neymar?

Much like Ronaldo – who was reportedly raking in a wage of around £515k-per-week prior to his exit earlier in the season – it would be a rather costly move to bring Neymar to Manchester, with the mercurial talent said to be raking in roughly £957k-per-week, according to FBref.

The subject of the most expensive transfer in history, the former Barcelona man is undoubtedly a "magical" asset – as previously hailed by journalist Guillem Balague – having racked up a stellar haul of 293 goals and 188 assists in 493 club career games to date.

Even amid a difficult campaign at the Parc des Princes this season – which has seen Christophe Galtier's men crash out in the Champions League last-16 – the one-time Santos sensation has registered a remarkable tally of 35 goals and assists in just 29 appearances.

That being said, however, for all the playmaker's individual quality, too often has he been an unreliable presence during his time in France, having repeatedly endured spells out of the side through injury and a lack of fitness.

The 5 foot 9 winger's work ethic has also been something of an issue – with compatriot Zico previously demanding for him to be "more professional" – with that no doubt akin to the issues that United faced with Ronaldo, as the latter man 'didn't press', as per pundit Jamie Carragher.

If Ten Hag is keen to build a team capable of competing for major honours, the Dutchman simply can't afford to carry any passengers in his side, with the case of Ronaldo having showcased that the former Ajax boss will put the needs of the team first over an undoubtedly talented individual.

Celtic defender Alistair Johnston could miss the remainder of the 2022/23 Scottish Premiership season with an ankle injury, according to reports.

What's the latest injury news on Johnston?

The Hoops right-back only arrived in Glasgow from Montreal back in January, but during his 18 appearances to date, has flourished under the leadership of Ange Postecoglou having already become his top-performing defensive player at Parkhead.

The Canadian international, however, sustained an ankle injury during the 1-0 Scottish Cup victory over Rangers last weekend and was spotted in a boot on crutches following the conclusion of the game which will have no doubt caused plenty of concern among supporters.

The Australian boss revealed after the game that he was unsure of the specific extent of the 24-year-old’s problem but admitted that it was likely to be “significant” having needed to be substituted, and an unfortunate in-depth update on his situation has now emerged.

According to Daily Record Sport, Johnston is set to be ruled out of action for “three to four weeks”, with a best and worst case scenario in place dependent on how he “reacts to treatment”. The Bhoys star will definitely be unavailable for the potential title-decider vs Hearts on Sunday and there’s a chance that he “could miss” the “bulk” of the four remaining league games of the campaign after that, but he is expected to be “pushing” to return for the Scottish Cup final vs Inverness on June 3.

Will Johnston's absence be a blow for Celtic?

Celtic have Cameron Carter-Vickers also ruled out for the rest of the season to undergo surgery, and Johnston could be set to follow in his footsteps so it’ll definitely be a blow for Postecoglou to have to end the term without two of his best defenders.

The Vancouver native, who is renowned for putting in “blood and thunder” performances according to journalist Chris Smith, was averaging 1.8 tackles and 1.2 key passes per league game prior to his absence, via WhoScored, but is also capable of contributing to his side’s efforts in the final third.

He has posted three goal contributions (two assists and one goal) since joining and has whipped a total of 36 crosses into the box so is always looking to create chances for his attacking teammates when bursting down the flank, therefore, it will be a massive boost when he stages his comeback.

Nottingham Forest are interested in signing Sporting CP winger Nuno Santos in the summer, according to recent reports from Portugal.

What's the latest Nottingham Forest transfer news?

Forest put themselves in a very strong position to avoid relegation from the Premier League with a 4-3 victory against Southampton last night, and while their work is not done, they can tentatively start to look at potential summer signings.

Having scored just 34 league goals this season, Steve Cooper is running the rule over some attacking targets, and the Reds are said to be in the race for Salernitana striker Boulaye Dia, who is wanted by a number of Premier League clubs.

The Tricky Trees may find it difficult to keep hold of Brennan Johnson this summer, given that Manchester City have scouted the attacker on multiple occasions, which may increase the need to make a move for Nuno Santos, who they have now been linked with.

According to a report from O Jogo (via Sport Witness), Forest are in the running to sign the Sporting CP star, alongside a number of other clubs, including Premier League rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers, as well as OGC Nice and Frankfurt.

The winger has a €60m (£52m) release clause in his contract, although the report stresses Sporting are aware they cannot command a fee in that region, and they will instead seek €15m (£13m) to sanction his departure.

For now, the Reds are more concerned with staying in the Premier League, but a move looks like it could be on the cards at the end of the season, should they avoid relegation.

Would Nuno Santos be a good signing?

Hailed as "immense" by members of the media, the 28-year-old is very impressive on the front foot, ranking in the 98th percentile for non-penalty goals per 90 in the past year, when compared to other midfielders.

The dynamo's playmaking abilities are also exhibited by the fact he ranks in the 90th percentile for assists in the same time period, and in the 88th for shot-creating actions, which displays his aptitude for setting up his teammates in promising areas.

With an average Sofascore match rating of 7.35, the £13k-per-week winger is Sporting's third-best performing player in the league this season, while he also held his nerve in the Europa League against Arsenal, firing home the winning penalty in the round of 16.

Nuno Santos would be an excellent acquisition for Nottingham Forest, and they should undoubtedly launch a move as soon as their Premier League safety is confirmed.

Leeds United's position as a club battling relegation is a petrifying one for fans, but with Sam Allardyce at the helm, worries must be somewhat abated.

There are few men in English football with as much pedigree as the 68-year-old, who boasts a career made up largely of being drafted in late to ensure Premier League status is retained.

However, few have enlisted his services this late into a season. He is a fine manager for such a role, but not a miracle worker.

History can tell us how a coach like the former Bolton Wanderers boss will look to play, taking the pressure off his players and setting them up to defend staunchly and counter with speed. Against the calibre of opponent they are set to face, this is the only method they can possibly employ to ensure survival.

He will likely hark back to those days at the Reebok, as the pinnacle of his managerial career, hoping to recapture those glorious years in charge in what looks set to be a short and unceremonious spell at Elland Road.

Of the talents he once commanded, few are as well known around England as Jay-Jay Okocha. A true showman, the Nigerian legend remains one of the Premier League's most revered talents for his unwavering commitment to ridiculing his opposition. Such control over the ball is a trait seldom seen nowadays but coincidentally resides in one of his new players: Wilfried Gnonto.

Is Wilfried Gnonto similar to Jay-Jay Okocha?

Having only joined in the summer, it is startling just how quickly the 19-year-old has established himself as a fan favourite in Yorkshire.

Such lightning-quick runs and imperious close control immediately caught the eye, with Statman Dave having branded the £20k-per-week dynamo as "electric".

His ability to ghost past a man with such trickery makes it impossible not to draw these comparisons, as when put alongisde other wingers across Europe, the teen sensation ranks in the top 12% for progressive carries per 90. He bamboozles defences with his supreme pace and power.

Kevin Davies had noted on Okocha that:

"If you were against him he could make you look stupid. But he couldn’t do it in an arrogant way: he’d always have a little smile on his face (when he was making you look stupid). You couldn’t see the ball or where it went."

He continued, as many seemingly could for hours about the talents of the 49-year-old: "He could do anything with the ball. He was a magician."

Funnily enough, with Gnonto having converted his own magic into six goal contributions in 21 league appearances this season, he perhaps goes under the radar in a similar manner to this African superstar.

Given Okocha recorded just seven goal contributions himself in his debut year in England, during what was his prime years, there is every reason to believe that the 10-cap dynamo can emulate Allardyce's last true trickster to fire them to survival.