pwshub.com

Fans slam Chelsea for celebrating Joao Felix's 'homecoming'

Chelsea scored an own goal with fans on Wednesday when they announced the signing of Joao Felix with a social media video titled: 'Home again'.

The 34-second video - which also featured the song 'Homecoming' by Kanye West and Coldplay's Chris Martin - showed Felix dressed in Chelsea's new kit while kicking a ball around at the club's Cobham training centre.

Felix - who previously played 20 games for Chelsea during a loan spell in the 2022-23 campaign - rejoined the Blues from Atletico Madrid on a permanent basis for a fee of £42.7million.

The 24-year-old's arrival at Stamford Bridge coincided with former Chelsea captain Conor Gallagher moving to Atletico for £34m.

Felix's announcement video was posted less than two hours after Chelsea had confirmed the departure of fellow 24-year-old Gallagher, who had been at the club since the age of six and made 95 first-team appearances.

Former Chelsea loanee Joao Felix, 24, re-signed for the Stamford Bridge club on Wednesday 

Gallagher was effectively forced out of Chelsea. He had been made to train away from the senior squad after the club decided that they wanted to sell him.

Many fans were quick to hit out at Chelsea's social media team for failing to read the room and for celebrating the 'homecoming' of a player who had previously spent 140 days at the club, so soon after dispensing of someone who had been there for 18 years.

One comment on X (formerly Twitter) read: 'Have a player from a kid to become captain - sell him. Resign a guy who had a short, average loan - "Home again." Honestly, these lads are on one'.

Another read: 'No way Chelsea are using this "homecoming" gimmick for a player who was on loan with them for half a season and the only reason this transfer happened is because they forced out a kid who’d been with the club since he was 6 years old.'

One fan wrote: 'Using Homecoming on the announcement of a former loan player you've only signed to enable the sale of an actual homegrown player is a new low'.

A different fan said: 'Odd choice of song, given he's played fewer games for Chelsea than any other club he's represented. Oh, and the fact you signed him so you could offload your club captain who had been at the club since he was a boy.'

Another fan added: 'Saying "Home again" for a former loan player you just sold an actual Home Grown player in order to permanently sign is absolutely wild.' 

Felix - who scored four goals while on loan at Chelsea - could make his 21st appearance for the club on Sunday when Enzo Maresca's men travel to Wolves.

Meanwhile, Gallagher could make his Atletico debut later on Sunday in a home game against Girona in La Liga.

Source: dailymail.co.uk

Related stories
1 month ago - The 22-year-old enjoyed a stunning debut season at Stamford Bridge after moving from Man City for £42.5m, netting 22 times and laying on 11 goals for team-mates despite the Blues mixed campaign.
1 month ago - Follow Mail Sport's live blog for the latest score, team news and updates as Manchester City take on AC Milan in pre-season action in the US.
1 month ago - Silva left the Blues on a free transfer at the end of last season after making 155 appearances in four years since joining from PSG. Now 39, he has joined Fluminense in his native Brazil.
1 week ago - Frustrated fans have unleashed on the Socceroos following a tame 0-0 draw with Indonesia. They need to finish at least second in their group to qualify directly for the World Cup.
11 minutes ago - Matches across Europe were criticised for lacking jeopardy with teams knowing they still have another seven games to play, with only 12 of the 36 clubs eliminated at the league phase.
Other stories
11 minutes ago - After a dull first period, Arteta 's side faced an early second-half concession when the referee awarded the home side a penalty following a challenge from Thomas Partey on Ederson .
11 minutes ago - ISAAN KHAN IN BERGAMO: Mikel Arteta hailed David Raya's miraculous double save as 'one of the best I've seen in my career' with Arsenal rescuing an unlikely point against Atalanta.
11 minutes ago - With an exquisite piece of footwork in the build-up to the second goal in a 4-0 win at Feyenoord, the Nigeria striker earned the praise of his teammates - and plenty of fans on social media.
11 minutes ago - Emmanuel-Thomas, a 33-year-old striker, had been playing for Scottish Championship side Greenock Morton, but the club had confirmed his contract has now been terminated.
2 hours ago - JOE BERNSTEIN AT THE GEWISS STADIUM: Mikel Arteta's side had to call on David Raya to pull off a fine double save from Mateo Retegui as they were forced to defend for large periods.