Joao Felix has already made feelings clear on Chelsea ahead of transfer return

Joao Felix is on the brink of becoming Chelsea's eleventh summer signing - and the Portuguese forward already made it clear he enjoyed his time at Stamford Bridge during his loan spell.

The 24-year-old is poised to ink a six-year deal with the Blues, keeping him at the club until 2030, following successful personal term negotiations. Felix will be the fourth offensive addition under new manager Enzo Maresca, joining Pedro Neto , Omari Kellyman and Marc Guiu, who all penned deals with the Blues earlier this summer, providing the Italian boss with another potent attacking option while the club prepares for a clear-out of eight unwanted stars.

This marks the star's second spell with the club, having been loaned in for the latter half of the 2023 season under then-manager Graham Potter. Unfortunately, the six-month stint coincided with one of Chelsea's worst Premier League seasons in nearly three decades, making it a challenging time for the Portuguese international.

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His four goals during his time with the club served as a testament to his abilities, none more so than his stunning solo goal against Manchester United. In that match, he embarked on a run from his own half before coolly slotting the ball past David de Gea in the game's final moments - despite Chelsea suffering a 4-1 defeat.

Joao Felix has spoken previously of his contentment at Chelsea, fondly reminiscing about the warm reception from the fans. He mentioned in an early press conference: "I was at Atletico for three years and I didn't have a chant, here at Chelsea, I had one after one game. They [Blues fans] have a chant for almost every player, it's funny.", reports Football London .

Maresca's philosophy seems to be tailored for players like Felix, with his previous boss at Atletico, Diego Simeone, often praising him for his spatial awareness and creative influence within compact areas of play.

Discussing the differences between his experience under Graham Potter and Spanish football, Felix revealed a preference for the English game, noting he felt much more 'free' on the pitch - a sentiment he'll be hoping Maresca recognizes as he rejoins the team at Stamford Bridge.

Reflecting on his initial period at the club, Felix stated: "The position I play in and the way we play at Chelsea is different from how we played at Atletico. I have much more freedom to put my football into practice, to be at my best. I'm feeling good here, it's just getting results and then it's perfect.

"Yeah [I'm feeling freedom here], it's a different kind of football. The league is different. The way the teams play in La Liga and Premier League is totally different. I felt that in the first game. Chelsea is a team who likes to attack, who likes to have the ball and likes to dominate the game, so that's the game I like to play. I feel very free to play here, to play as I like. I'm loving it.

"I think I needed it [the loan move]. When I left Atletico I thought it was good for me and for them. So I think it was the perfect deal. I just wanted to try something different because I always try to do my best. Sometimes it didn't work so I have to change to see if things go differently. So I think it's important for me this loan and I'm very happy to play here."

Felix now looks set to make his second Chelsea debut at Molineux this weekend with the Blues ready to travel up to the Midlands to face Wolves but not before they host Servette in their Europa Conference League playoff first leg in west London on Thursday night.