Journalist Jacque Talbot has claimed that Aston Villa may have a slight chance of landing Joao Felix due to now having Unai Emery in charge but a transfer remains unlikely.

What’s the word?

It seems as though the Atletico Madrid forward will be allowed to leave on loan this January with The Athletic explaining that the Spanish side are seeking €21million (£18.6m), to cover a loan fee plus his salary.

While Arsenal and Manchester United seem like possible destinations, the Villans have also been linked with a move. Indeed, transfer insider Dean Jones has insisted that they are 'genuinely in the picture'.

Amid all this, Talbot how now claimed that it's hard to see a Felix singing for Aston Villa but 'world-class coach' Emery could give the club an outside chance of landing the Portugal star.

He told GiveMeSport: “They’ve got a new manager now who is very, very competent, so there is that as well.

“That is a bit of a pull because he is a world-class coach. But, personally, I can’t see that happening for Villa.”

Another Coutinho?

Having won La Liga with Atletico and established himself as a regular in the Portuguese national team – playing four times at the World Cup and scoring once – at just 23 years of age, Felix certainly is a top talent.

For that reason, however, a more to Villa seems a little fanciful. Even so, former manager Steven Gerrard did manage to use his 'pull' to land former Barcelona star Philippe Coutinho.

With that in mind, it's not as if the club don't have a past record of making some high-profile deals. Even so, it still feels as though an awful lot would have to happen to see Felix ending up in Birmingham as a Villan any time soon.

But perhaps he will be keen to work for Emery who has impressed in Spain and France – winning the Europa League with Sevilla and Villarreal, and Ligue 1 with PSG.