Arsenal are not favourites to sign Atletico Madrid and Portugal forward Joao Felix, Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor has told GIVEMESPORT.
The 23-year-old is being linked with a move to the Emirates, with one report saying that the Gunners are leading the race for his signature, but Taylor thinks Atletico's asking price will be a problem.
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Arsenal transfer news - Joao Felix
According to MARCA, Arsenal and Mikel Arteta are currently at the front of the queue for Felix.
Premier League rivals Manchester United and Chelsea have also been mentioned, but the outlet claims that it is the north London club who are the frontrunners to sign the former Benfica man.
Felix is not going to come cheap, though, with the Evening Standard recently reporting that Atletico have set an £86m price tag. Elsewhere, the Daily Mail has claimed that Arsenal are one of several clubs currently chasing Shakhtar Donetsk star Mykhaylo Mudryk.
The Gunners may find themselves having to dip into the transfer market following Gabriel Jesus' knee surgery.
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What has Ryan Taylor said about Joao Felix and Arsenal?
Taylor has poured cold water on the suggestion that Arsenal are winning the race for Felix.
Speaking to GMS, the Daily Express journalist said: "It's not true, I don't think anyway, to my understanding. Joao Felix is a player that is obviously widely admired by a lot of clubs. You only have to look at his performance against Switzerland to see why - obviously still young as well.
"The reason I say Arsenal are not favourites is because although Atletico want to sell, which has been made clear by their CEO, they're going to be looking for a massive fee for Felix."
Read more: January Transfer Window 2023: When Does It Begin, Rumours and Everything You Need To Know
Joao Felix's most recent transfer fee
If Felix does join Arsenal or another side for £86m, it would not be his first big-money move.
Atletico, of course, paid an incredible £113m fee to sign the Portugal international from Benfica back in 2019, as reported by BBC Sport.
He has not lived up to that price tag, which is more than understandable given his age and the fact that it is a ridiculous amount of money.
In his first season in the Spanish capital, Felix scored just six goals in 27 league appearances, as per Transfermarkt. As for the previous campaign, he only managed eight in 24.
Felix quite clearly has quality, though. Germany defender Antonio Rudiger, who plays for Atletico's fierce rivals Real Madrid, says he has something "special".
To show the above more often, he is probably going to need a move away from Diego Simeone's side, but a lot still needs to happen if he is to join Arsenal.
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