Chelsea have signed ‘next Lamine Yamal’ ahead of next season | OneFootball

Chelsea have won the race to sign highly-rated Sporting CP youngster Geovany Quenda, beating Manchester United to his signature in a deal that will see him arrive at Stamford Bridge in 2026.

The winger had been Man United’s top target, with the Premier League giants eager to bring him to Old Trafford.

Quenda himself was reportedly open to a reunion with former Sporting boss Ruben Amorim. However, with the Red Devils struggling financially and unable to commit to the €50 million fee at this stage, Chelsea swooped in to get the deal done.

The Blues not only secured Quenda’s signature but also sweetened the agreement by allowing him to remain at Sporting for another season. They also reassured the player that they see him as a winger, rather than a wing-back, something Amorim had reportedly planned for him.

His rapid rise has drawn comparisons to Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal. According to Tiago Teixeira, a former assistant coach of Sporting’s U23s, Quenda’s trajectory mirrors that of the Spanish prodigy.

A rising star compared to Lamine Yamal

Lamine Yamal is one of the best in the world

. “Everyone was talking about Geovany,” he told The Athletic. “He is a very, very good dribbler. He’s impressive physically and can beat his man on the outside or on the inside. He’s a very intense player, very committed. But I think his greatest strengths are his decision-making and his ability to play the final ball. He reads the game brilliantly.

“I see similarities with Lamine Yamal. Both of them started playing senior football at 16, 17. Yamal is already playing for Spain but Quenda has just been called up by Portugal for the first time and I’m certain he’s going to be a regular in the national team for years to come, and a star of the Champions League.

“He will get better with age and keep growing in confidence. He has everything he needs.”