Chelsea have completed the signing of Joao Felix from Atletico Madrid in a deal worth £46.3m, while Conor Gallagher has moved in the opposite direction for £36m.
The Blues have paid a £42m fixed fee for Felix, plus £4.3m in add-ons, while the Portugal international has signed a seven-year contract at Stamford Bridge.
The 24-year-old returns to Chelsea on a permanent deal having spent six months on loan during the second half of the 2022/23 season, scoring four goals in 16 Premier League appearances.
Felix spent last season on loan at Barcelona where he scored 10 goals in 44 appearances.
Felix said: “I’m really happy to be back at Chelsea and I can’t wait to get started. I can see some familiar faces from the last time I was here, which is always nice.
“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.”
Speaking in a press conference, Maresca added: “He’s a good player and the club already knows him from two years ago. The good thing about Joao is he can play different positions with us – inside, as a No 9 and outside.”
The ex-Benfica player becomes Chelsea’s 10th summer signing following the arrivals of Tosin Adarabioyo, Omari Kellyman, Marc Guiu, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Renato Veiga, Caleb Wiley, Aaron Anselmino, Filip Jorgensen and Pedro Neto.
Felix’s arrival also takes Chelsea’s spending to £202.6m making them the Premier League’s top spenders this summer.
The west London club’s spending, however, may not be over yet as it is understood they will try to sign a new striker during this window following the completion of the Felix deal.
Napoli’s Victor Osimhen has been a target all summer, but at the moment Chelsea would not sign him on a permanent deal.
Gallagher moves in opposite direction in £36m deal
Conor Gallagher has joined Atletico Madrid from Chelsea. Credit: Atletico Madrid
The signing of Felix unlocked Gallagher’s transfer to Atletico Madrid, which was confirmed on Wednesday morning.
Gallagher’s transfer looked to have fallen through following the collapse of Chelsea’s move for Atletico striker Samu Omorodion, but the deal was revived after the Blues agreed to sign Felix.
Atletico remained determined to sign Gallagher, having been impressed by him during his five-day stay in Madrid and how he handled the situation, which only reinforced their desire to have him in their squad.
The England international passed a medical and agreed a five-year deal to join Atletico while in Madrid, and had been pictured in the Wanda Metropolitano by the club, before having to return.
But the 24-year-old is now officially an Atletico player after signing a deal at the club until 2029.
In a video message on Instagram, Gallagher said: “To everyone at Chelsea, thank you for making my dreams come true.
“It’s been an absolute honour every time I put on the shirt, and it was a dream come true to captain the team on many occasions. I loved every moment. These memories will last forever.
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Watch Conor Gallagher’s best moments for Chelsea last season in the Premier League
“I appreciate all the love and support from the fans. Hearing the chant of my name at the Bridge is a special feeling, and the banner you displayed meant the world to me. Thank you for everything.
“I wish the club all the best for the future, and I hope to see you all soon at Stamford Bridge!”
Maresca said of his departing midfielder: “It’s not only for Chelsea. Many clubs are selling players from their academies. It’s very sad.
“In Italy we had Totti and he played with Roma for 20 years. We all loved that. But now the rules are a bit different and sometimes you need to sell your academy players for 100 per cent profit.
“We need to try to respect the rules.”
Nev and Carra: Warning signs, alarm bells and ‘heartbreak’ at Chelsea
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Gary Neville believes Chelsea could have a good season but feels that their recruitment is ‘chaotic and bizarre’, and Jamie Carragher questions where Joao Felix will play
After another “chaotic” summer at Stamford Bridge, Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher laid out the “bizarre” problems Chelsea have brought upon themselves.
Neville said: “One thing we do know is they have recruited badly. There are players they bought two years ago who they are already trying to get rid of. It feels chaotic and bizarre some of the contract lengths being given.
“I ask the question quite regularly; what is it they know that the rest of football doesn’t know? Smart clubs like Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Arsenal, Man City – what do this group of owners know that the rest of football doesn’t?
Carragher said: “Chelsea have just got to stop buying players, and players have got to stop signing for Chelsea. If I was a player, I’d think ‘why I would sign?’.
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Sky Sports News’ Kaveh Solhekol explains why Chelsea have decided to hand out a combined 191 years in contracts to their players
“The only reason you would sign is because your agent might say, ‘we’re getting a seven-year deal on big money, that’s guaranteed money for seven years.
“You know what I would say? Back yourself, sign a four-year deal at a proper club. When you’re due for renewal, your money goes up anyway.
“It’s not a young and exciting team. They’ve bought Joao Felix, where’s he going to play? They signed Pedro Neto a week ago, where’s he going to play when you’ve got Cole Palmer already?
“You want to ask about where Joao Felix is going to play, I’ve got another question – where’s he going to get changed at the training ground?
“How are all these players in one dressing room? How are you putting on a training session?”