Benfica confirm $143m Atletico Madrid bid for 'next Cristiano Ronaldo' Joao Felix
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Benfica announced on Wednesday that Atletico Madrid have made an offer of 143 million U.S. dollars to sign teenage forward Joao Felix, touted in Portugal as a possible successor to Cristiano Ronaldo.

The transfer would be one of the most expensive ever in soccer, with a higher price tag than what Juventus paid Real Madrid for Ronaldo – nearly 113 million U.S. dollars – last year.

Benfica said the club were evaluating the offer, which would give the club a net value of 136 million U.S. dollars, equivalent to the player’s buyout clause.

Atletico are expected to receive that same amount for the sale of France forward Antoine Griezmann, who announced at the end of the season he was leaving the Spanish club.

Felix has impressed in his native Portugal, scoring 15 goals and registering nine assists in 26 league appearances last season. /VCG Photo

Felix has impressed in his native Portugal, scoring 15 goals and registering nine assists in 26 league appearances last season. /VCG Photo

If terms are agreed, Felix would be the most expensive player in the history of Atletico Madrid, surpassing the fee paid to AS Monaco for French international Thomas Lemar last season.

The 19-year-old Felix made his debut with Portugal's national team at the inaugural UEFA Nations League earlier this month. He played with Ronaldo in the team's opener but was on the bench for the rest of the tournament that host Portugal eventually won.

Felix began drawing comparisons to the 34-year-old Ronaldo after making a rapid rise through the youth squads of Benfica. He debuted with the first team in August and quickly established himself as a regular starter for the Portuguese champions.

Extremely skillful and a gifted scorer, Felix was the youngest player to appear in Benfica's "B" team, at 16. He was also the youngest to score at the team's Stadium of Light, at 18, and the youngest to score a hat trick in the Europa League, at 19, after the competition was re-branded in 2009.

Source(s): AP