Joao Felix was the real deal until sending off

When João Félix joined Atletico Madrid in 2019 the Spanish club’s unveiling video showed the £113 million man walking among some of the world’s finest paintings at the Prado museum.

The symbolism was clear: Atletico had signed one of football’s artists. And so it seemed fitting that his first appearance for Chelsea will for ever be remembered for its drama in the West End.

At Craven Cottage, on his Premier League debut, Félix showed both the paintbrush and eraser.

No player on the park had been as impressive as the Portugal forward, or could get near his dancing feet, until the hour mark when Kenny Tete felt the full force of Félix’s studs on his shin.

A red card was inevitable and suddenly this savvy loan deal became even shorter with Félix now unavailable to an under-pressure Graham Potter until February.

Before the game, the Chelsea head coach had spoken of an undeniable quality but also accepted the question mark over whether it could immediately transfer to another country. This will always be unknown: the attribute data analysts cannot measure.

Fulham were keen to find out, offering Félix a traditional welcome to English football. First João Palhinha pulled him down, then Antonee Robinson, and then Andreas Pereira, all inside 14 minutes. Félix did not wilt in the same way as some of his colleagues.

Every touch was filled with invention and adventure, full of tricks and flicks, shimmies and shakes. The confidence exuding from his every involvement was a sharp contrast to that of his colleagues, illustrated in the opening two minutes with Félix’s quick feet slipping the ball between Tim Ream’s legs to tee up Kai Havertz, who quickly killed momentum and the move. Chelsea’s frustrated supporters were immediately singing his name.

Félix had been stalked by the TV cameras during the warm-up, but for those somehow unaware of the high-profile signing, Félix’s presence could have been mistaken as the promotion of another academy product in the midst of an injury crisis, given his teenage looks.

While we may well view Félix’s performance through the prism of Chelsea taking a chance on him, there is a strong argument that he needs them just as much. This is a crucial moment in a career that is still only crystallising.

Manchester City were among the clubs who wanted Félix 3½ years ago when he joined Atletico from Benfica. But his stock and reputation have fallen after a fractured relationship with Diego Simeone and his defensive style. These four months in west London will determine just how good he really is, and the early indications were certainly bright.

The question over Félix is whether this form can continue. In Spain he was regarded as inconsistent. Losing the game and their exciting new signing for the next three matches only added to Chelsea’s problems.