Chelsea-bound winger Geovany Quenda has bid an emotional farewell to Sporting CP, finally closing the curtain on a relationship that defined his entire footballing childhood. The teenager has begun his farewells as he prepares to complete his long-anticipated move to Stamford Bridge, having been on loan in Lisbon this campaign after the deal was done over a year ago.
In early 2025, the Blues acted quickly to sign the wonderkid, winning a race that had once seemed destined to end elsewhere. Chelsea had agreed a pre-contract deal with Quenda in March 2025, which turned into a £40 million deal with the winger staying in Lisbon to continue his development. He had been heavily linked with Manchester United in the past, while his former coach, Ruben Amorim, was in charge.
The forward, born in Guinea-Bissau, got emotional when he reflected on the difficulty of leaving the club that gave him life:
“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.
“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.”
Geovany Quenda’s Difficult Final Campaign Before Chelsea Reunion
It has been a testing personal period for Quenda during what should have been a glorious send-off season with the Lisbon giants. He suffered a fifth metatarsal injury and endured a tough mid-season stint on the treatment table but had a run of games to finish the domestic campaign. The injury robbed the young man of momentum at a pivotal point in his development.
Sporting finished second behind FC Porto this season, but Quenda has netted six goals and provided nine assists in all competitions. To end the season, he notably scored a goal against Rio Ave after coming back from injury.
The significance of that goal was deeply personal, as Quenda had reportedly made a promise to himself that he would not leave Sporting for Chelsea without scoring one more goal for the Lisbon club. The youngster admitted it had been an emotional toll.
The focus switches to West London, where new boss Xabi Alonso will weigh up whether the gifted attacker is ready to make an immediate impact or whether he would benefit from a loan move next term.