Why Chelsea signed Geovany Quenda and where 'future great' will fit in at Stamford Bridge | OneFootball

Blues have agreed to pay around £40m for 17-year-old Sporting star who is one of the most highly-rated prospects in Europe

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The move is already being talked of as a major coup, with the Blues beating off competition from Manchester United, who had been favourites to sign Quenda given his relationship with Ruben Amorim.

But just who is Quenda and why have Chelsea moved so swiftly to snap him up?

Quenda’s story so far

Quenda was born in the African nation of Guinea-Bissau but moved to Portugal as a schoolboy and has represented his adopted homeland at age-group level.

Having been on Benfica’s books, he switched to Lisbon rivals Sporting at the age of 13 and, though the Covid pandemic briefly threatened to stall his development, has made a number of major breakthroughs in the seasons since.

Chelsea have beaten off competition from Manchester United to sign Quenda from Sporting

AFP via Getty Images

In 2023 he signed his first professional contract and was a star performer during Portugal’s run to the final of the European Under-17 Championship the following summer, securing a place in the team of the tournament.

Aged just 17 years and 95 days, he made his senior debut for Sporting in this season’s Portuguese Super Cup and became the club’s youngest ever goalscorer with his strike in a 4-3 defeat to Porto.

Across all competitions, Quenda now has 10 goals involvements in 44 games this season and has shattered a number of club records, including for the youngest player to play in a Lisbon derby, which was previously held by Cristiano Ronaldo.

The youngster was called up to the senior Portugal squad last August and though he is yet to make his debut, could do so this month having again been summoned by Roberto Martinez.

What they’ve said about Quenda

Ruben Amorim, who gave Quenda his Sporting debut: “He’s a very talented kid. Very physically robust, very focused, with his feet firmly on the ground. That's very important for a young player.

"He got his chance and there was no chance to take it away, no doubt, nothing. I think he's going to be a great player, but let's give it time.”

Roberto Martinez, after handing Quenda his first international call-up: “He showed incredible personality, quality and adaptability. He has technical quality, but it's not normal for a 17-year-old.

Quenda has been called up to the senior Portugal squad for the first time

Getty Images for DFB

“He played very well in the European Championship with the Under-17s. He's shown that he's ready for the national team. Good news for Portuguese football.”

Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva, on his new Portugal team-mate: “He will probably steal my place. At 17, I wasn't even playing for Benfica's youth team.”

Why Chelsea have signed Quenda now

Under the ownership of Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, Chelsea have put an almost unprecedented emphasis on signing the best young talent football has to offer.

That has included high-profile moves for established stars like Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo, but has also seen the Blues target teenage prospects on the cusp of major breakthroughs.

The most obvious examples are yet to arrive at the club, with Ecuadorian Kendry Paez and the much-hyped Estevao Willian due to arrive once they turn 18 this summer in transfers that were announced in 2023 and 2024, respectively.

Both have continued playing first-team football at their current clubs in the interim and Chelsea believe the same arrangement will best serve Quenda’s development, with Sporting looking to retain their league title this season and on course to play Champions League football again next.

Moving now also allowed Chelsea to steal a march on Manchester United, where he was wanted by Amorim but who are operating under significant financial restraints.

Getting a deal done now also avoided a summer bidding war, with the fee of around £40m less than half of Quenda’s official release clause.

Where Quenda will he fit in at Chelsea

In terms of position, Quenda is a wide player capable of playing on both flanks; he emerged playing mainly as a wing-back on the right under Amorim, but has since been used as a more conventional winger on the left by new Sporting boss Rui Borges. His long-term future is expected to come in the more attacking role.

Quenda is a wide player capable of playing on both flanks

Getty Images

What exactly that means at Chelsea is difficult to asses given the number of wingers on the clubs books and the turnover of players over the past few seasons.

However, among the incumbents, both Christopher Nkunku and Joao Felix look likely to leave this summer - the latter is already on loan at AC Milan - while Jadon Sancho faces an uncertain future as an increasingly underwhelming loan from Manchester United nears its end. Chelsea have an obligation to make the deal permanent, but that by no means guarantees a place in Enzo Maresca’s long-term plans.

Mykhailo Mudryk’s future is also up in the air, with the Ukrainian winger provisionally suspended following a failed drugs test.

Estevao’s arrival will add to Maresca’s options, with Pedro Neto and Noni Madueke the current first-choice pair when fit.