‘Joao Felix Is At The Wrong Club Under The Wrong Manager’- Rafael van der Vaart

Atletico Madrid starlet Joao Felix is a talented player but he’s playing for the “wrong club”, according to Rafael van der Vaart.

Felix became the most expensive Portuguese player in history when he completed a £113 million ($148m) switch from Benfica to Wanda Metropolitano back in July.

The 20-year-old emerged as one of the brightest prospects in European football at Estadio da Luz last season, scoring 19 goals in 37 appearances across all competitions.

Van der Vaart has criticised Simeone for failing to adjust Atletico’s playing style to accommodate Felix, while suggesting the midfielder shouldn’t have chosen to continue his development at Wanda Metropolitano.

“Joao Felix is a fine player, but he’s at the wrong club,” the ex-Real star told Ziggo Sport.

“When they signed the Portuguese striker, I felt that [Diego] Simeone would try and embark on a different brand of playing, but that’s far from the case.

“I understand that winning is important but when you have a talented forward like him, you need to cater to the style of play somewhat to suit his needs.

“Atletico Madrid play in a very compact manner with a heavy focus on defending well and attacking on the counter.

“Felix, I feel, is at the wrong club and working under the wrong coach.”