Al Nassr move to extend Joao Felix contract amid Barcelona interest

Al Nassr are preparing to activate a unilateral extension clause in Joao Felix’s contract, a move that would keep the Portugal forward at the Saudi Pro League club until the summer of 2029.

Sources within Al Nassr told Kooora that the club’s administration, led by Ahmed Al Sultan, is accelerating legal procedures to trigger the clause and block efforts by Felix’s agent, Jorge Mendes, to take the player to Barcelona.

The development follows renewed interest from Barcelona, with the Spanish club understood to be monitoring the possibility of signing Felix when the mandatory period of his current agreement expires at the end of the 2026-27 season.

Mendes had been planning to use that point in the contract to move Felix to Barcelona either on a free transfer or for a nominal fee. Activating the extension would prevent that route and give Al Nassr control over the player’s future beyond the current commitment.

The terms of the agreement, signed in the summer of 2025, require Al Nassr to pay Chelsea a further €20m if the extension is triggered. That would take the overall value of Felix’s transfer to €50m.

The clause would also lead to an automatic increase in Felix’s annual salary, from €10m to €12.5m.

Al Nassr are currently working to resolve several financial difficulties before notifying the Saudi Pro League of their readiness to provide the financial guarantees required for the deal. The club is aiming to complete that process before the deadline in May next year.

The Saudi club intends to rely on expected liquidity from a major investment partnership led by captain Cristiano Ronaldo with global funds. That projected backing is regarded by Al Nassr as central to its ability to meet the cost of retaining Felix.

Barcelona would be unable to match those figures or purchase the player’s contract once the extension has been legally activated, according to the sources.

Felix’s future has therefore become the subject of competing plans, with Al Nassr seeking to secure a long-term agreement and Barcelona’s interest depending on the player becoming available at the end of the mandatory contract period.