Atletico Madrid poised to sign Joao Felix for extraordinary £107.3m from Benfica

Joao Felix is in Madrid to finalise a move that would make him the fifth most expensive footballer of all time - Getty Images Europe

Atletico Madrid are close to signing Joao Felix, the highly rated young Benfica forward, in an extraordinary £107.3 million deal.

Felix has attracted interest from a host of leading European clubs, including Manchester City and Manchester United, but Atletico have agreed to trigger his £107.3m buy-out clause and hope to conclude a deal imminently.

The 19-year-old is in Madrid to finalise a move, which would make him the fifth most expensive footballer of all time after Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, Philippe Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele.

The transfer could be completed in the next 48 hours and it remains to be seen what impact Felix’s impending move will have on France forward Antoine Griezmann’s future at Atletico. Felix is represented by agent Moreira de Sa but Jorge Mendes has been helping to broker the deal. Mendes’s agency, Gestifute, have dismissed claims Mendes stands to earn £32.18m from the transfer.

City had been monitoring Felix’s situation but they were reluctant to pay his release clause, which was almost £50 million more than their club record outlay on Riyad Mahrez.

Felix can play on either wing or centrally and is admired by Pep Guardiola but, while the City manager would like to bring in another forward, it would not be considered a priority unless Leroy Sane left and the Premier League champions believe the Germany winger will remain at the club despite interest from Bayern Munich.

City’s focus for now is on signing a defensive midfielder, with Atletico’s Rodri their prime target. Rodri has asked for time to decide his future, with City ready to trigger his £62.57m release clause. Atletico accept Rodri is likely to move on and are lining up a replacement.

Guardiola also wants a right back, with Juventus’ Joao Cancelo an option, should Danilo leave, with Inter Milan and other Italian clubs interested in the Brazilian. He is also in the market for a centre-half, although City are currently unwilling to meet Leicester’s £80 million valuation of Harry Maguire.