Joao Felix has been tagged as a 'generational talent with mentality problems' as the wheels threaten to come off his loan at Barcelona - despite a 900% per cent pay rise.
The Chelsea flop is enduring a poor run of form and is unfancied for the Supercopa de Espana semi-final against Osasuna on Thursday.
He had a promising start at Barca - his 'dream' club - but familiar signs are re-emerging for the trickster cast aside by Atletico Madrid.
That's despite his salary being multiplied tenfold to more than £3.4million now that Barcelona have more financial wiggle room.
Barca managed to register the 24-year-old on small change for a top-level player due to their financial struggles but had to elevate his wage when their bank balance allowed.
SPORT reports that Felix is struggling to shake his reputation as an inconsistent player and that Xavi is increasingly in favour of Ferran Torres and Raphinha for their pressing abilities.
His nosediving form has coincided with that of Barca, who are now seven points off LaLiga frontrunners Real Madrid and Girona and only scraped into the Copa del Rey last 16 with a scrappy 3-2 win over fourth tier outfit Basbastro.
Against minnows Barbastro, Felix cut a frustrated figure after having a goal disallowed for offside, losing the ball 15 times and denying Torres the chance to take a free-kick.
While he could pin his fluctuating form at Atletico Madrid on his incompatability with Diego Simeone's strict tactics, the same cannot be said at Barca and the debate has shifted onto his mentality, SPORT claims.
He was left out of Xavi's starting line-up for Barca's 2-1 win at Las Palmas in their most recent LaLiga game.
Now it looks as if former Manchester City player Torres could be given the nod on the left flank for their Osasuna assignment.
Xavi has shown himself to be more brutal and disregarding of big names in recent weeks.
He subbed off Robert Lewandowski against Las Palmas despite keeping him on incessantly in previous games, even if his performances have merited a change.
Felix has had a decent campaign overal at Barca, with six goals and three assists in 21 games, but will be eager to recapture his best form sooner rather than later.