Aston Villa are definitely 'in the picture' to complete the marquee signing of Atletico Madrid star Joao Felix, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Felix rumour emerges

Despite his hot start, Unai Emery will be keen to bring in his own signings as soon as possible in order to fully make his mark as the new manager at Villa Park.

One player who he has been linked with an audacious move for is Felix, with the Portuguese starlet thought to be on the verge of leaving Atletico after growing unhappy there.

The 23-year-old has long been considered an enormous talent, famously winning the European Golden Boy award in 2019, which has been won more recently by Erling Haaland, Pedri and Gavi.

The Latest: Villa still 'in the picture'

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones claimed that Villa remain in the race to seal the signing of Felix:

"They’re not the only club that potentially have the chance to sign Joao Felix. I think there are others that he would probably choose ahead of them if it were to come to it.

"But they’re in the picture and, as an Aston Villa fan, I guess that is an exciting place to be."

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The Verdict: What a signing he would be

There are some signings that can feel like game-changers, given their quality, and Felix is one of those, with the youngster having the ability to transform Villa.

He hasn't quite kicked on to the level that some expected after his aforementioned Golden Boy win, but that could arguably be down to playing in a very defensive Atletico team.

At Villa, Felix could wreak havoc in central attacking areas, with former teammate Kieran Trippier describing him as an 'unbelievable' player and 33 goals coming his way for Atletico.