Benfica sporting director Manuel Rui Costa has fuelled transfer speculation surrounding wonderkid Joao Felix by admitting they won't be able to keep him forever.
The 19-year-old has attracted serious interest from European giants including Manchester United , Liverpool , Manchester City , Juventus and Real Madrid after a stunning breakthrough season.
The teenager has notched 12 goals in all competitions and emerged as one of the top young talents in the game, earning his first senior Portugal call-up.
A huge release clause of €120m is thought to be the only real cause for concern amongst interested parties - but Costa has hinted they may not demand the full fee as they don't want to stand in the way of his development.
He insists they will look to hang on to Felix as long as possible as per club policy but a summer move appears it could be on the cards.
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“We will try to keep him as long as possible and that is the case for Felix as for any other player," Costa told Italian newspaper Tuttosport .
“This is the club’s policy. Then we’ll see.
“We are aware the clauses exist for a reason and that certain players cannot be held back in Portugal indefinitely.”
Felix recently broke his silence on speculation in the Spanish press.
Man Utd transfer target Joao Felix wants to follow in Cristiano Ronaldo's footsteps
In an interview with Marca, he said: “My dream is always to play for the big teams and in the big competitions, but as I’ve already said, I am here and I am very happy at Benfica, who are also a big European team.”
When asked if a club paying his reported €120m buyout clause was “crazy”, Felix said: “Maybe, yes.
"But I don’t understand the market or values, they are things for agents and presidents. I confine myself to playing.”
