New Delhi, July 27 : Al-Nassr are close to agreeing to a deal to sign Chelsea forward Joao Felix. The Portuguese is expected to join the Saudi club with a 44 million pound deal, according to a report.

It is reported that Saudi Pro League giants are in touch with Felix's representatives and could reach an agreement in the next 24 to 48 hours.

Felix's former club Benfica were previously in talks to re-sign the 25-year-old forward, but Al-Nassr have now made their move for Felix as they go all out to try and win the Saudi Pro League, according to a Sky Sports report.

Should Felix depart, that would open the door for Chelsea to move for RB Leipzig midfielder Xavi Simons. If a move is completed on time, Felix could join Ronaldo and the rest of the Al-Nassr squad for a friendly against Toulouse on Wednesday at the Untersberg-Arena in Grodig.

The Portuguese star first joined Chelsea on loan during the winter transfer window of the 2022/23 season. During his time with the club, he made an impact by scoring four goals in 20 appearances which saw him return to the club.

Chelsea then signed the Portugal international on a permanent deal from Atletico Madrid in a contract worth 46.3 million pounds, returning to Stamford Bridge after a promising loan stint.

Felix began his professional journey at Benfica, where his impressive performances caught the eye of Atletico Madrid. In the summer of 2019, he made a high-profile move to Atletico Madrid, setting a record transfer fee for both clubs involved.

His tenure at Atletico has been marked by notable successes, including winning the La Liga title. On the international stage, Felix has earned 45 caps for Portugal since his debut in 2019.

Meanwhile, Chelsea are in advanced talks with Ajax over a deal for centre-back Jorrel Hato and have also held discussions over the signing of Leipzig's Simons.

/IANS