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€50m Chelsea signing confirms transfer plan - and he's not even played yet

28 May 2026 14:08 BST | 4 min read

Xabi Alonso, Chelsea

Cameron Smith

Cameron Smith | Digital Content Producer

Accredited sports journalist covering football since 2020

Geovany Quenda has confirmed that he wants to rejoin Sporting CP before the end of his career ahead of his €50 million move to Chelsea in July.

The Portugal U21 international joined Sporting’s academy as a 13-year-old and after progressing through the youth ranks in Lisbon, he made his senior debut for the club versus FC Porto in August 2024.

Quenda has since gone on to play a further 85 times for Sporting’s first-team, with his final appearance for the Portuguese giants coming against Torreense on 24 May. The 19-year-old was heavily linked with a move to Manchester United following the Red Devils’ appointment of his former Sporting head coach Ruben Amorim, but they lost out on his signature to Chelsea, who finalised a double deal for Quenda and team-mate Dario Essugo last March.

Essugo joined the Blues in July, but the west London giants agreed to allow Quenda to remain at Sporting for another season before moving to Stamford Bridge in July 2026.

The winger only made 15 starts across an injury-disrupted 2025-26 campaign, but he will officially join Chelsea in just over one month’s time, with his move to the club coinciding with Xabi Alonso’s arrival as Blues’ new manager.

It remains to be seen if Quenda will remain at Chelsea next season, or if he will be sent out on loan to gain consistent game time, however he has already admitted that he would like to move back to Sporting if the opportunity presents itself.

Geovany Quenda will join Chelsea in July

Geovany Quenda confirms Sporting return wish

Speaking to Sporting TV about his departure, an emotional Quenda admitted (via Sport Witness" href="https://sportwitness.co.uk/sporting-means-everything-to-me-chelsea-signing-delivers-emotional-exit-interview/" target="_blank">Sport Witness)): “I had nights where I couldn’t sleep because it was very difficult for me to say goodbye to a club that helped me and my family so much. It’s a very special club for me.

“The club will always stay in my heart. I have no way to thank Sporting enough for how they treated my parents and my family.”

Quenda added: “I’m more mature now, with a bit more experience, although there is still a lot for me to live in football. But Sporting helped me so much.

“I will always carry Sporting in my heart. It’s not goodbye, it’s see you soon. I hope one day I can wear the Sporting shirt again.”

Quenda, who has signed a seven-year contract at Chelsea, scored nine goals and provided 17 assists in 86 senior games for Sporting, and he is expected to compete with Estevao Willian, Pedro Neto, Jamie Gittens and Alejandro Garnacho for a starting berth at Stamford Bridge next season.