Chelsea’s recruitment drive to sign the world’s best youngsters is not slowing down, with Sporting Lisbon’s Geovany Quenda the latest talent to buy into the project.
Sporting winger Geovany Quenda, 17, is becoming a Chelsea player.
Reports emerged last week that Quenda completed his Chelsea medical ahead of a move to Stamford Bridge.
Sporting have now confirmed on Wednesday that they’ve reached an agreement to sell Quenda to Chelsea, and the teenager will be staying with them until 2026 before moving to London.
On top of that, Sporting’s announcement included that they’ve also agreed to sell Chelsea their youngster Dario Essugo. The 20-year-old midfielder, who’s on a season-long loan with Las Palmas, will make his move this summer rather than waiting an extra year.
Photo by Maciej Rogowski/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images
Photo by Maciej Rogowski/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images
What Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca said to Geovany Quenda during transfer talks
According to The Daily Mail, Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca spoke personally with Sporting youngster Quenda before his £40m transfer was concluded.
Apparently, the Blues manager said during his sales pitch that the 17-year-old attacker is someone he views as perfect for the project and that he’s looking forward to working with him in 2026.
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The report adds that Maresca told Quenda to keep evolving, learning and improving as he continues his development with Sporting for the rest of this season and into the next campaign.
Quenda’s salary at Chelsea when he does arrive will be four time what he’s earning in Sporting right now.
In the meantime, Blues supporters will be closely watching the exciting winger to see how he develops in the next year.
Appearances Goals Assists
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Geovany Quenda in Sporting Libson’s first team in the 2024/25 season
At the age of 17, it’s remarkable that he’s already playing consistent football at the senior level. Fans should be very excited about the type of player he can become from now until the summer of 2026.
Photo by Maciej Rogowski/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images
Photo by Maciej Rogowski/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images
Chelsea need to offload some wingers
In the long term, Chelsea must sell or loan some of their wide players because there won’t be room for everybody to be happy in one squad.
Paul Merson recently criticised Maresca because he feels he’s changing his starting wingers too often. This is before the likes of Estevao Willian and Quenda join the party, too.
The Blues squad this season includes wingers such as Noni Madueke, Jadon Sancho, Tyrique George, Mykhailo Mudryk and Pedro Neto. Our guess is that at least one or two of them won’t have futures at Stamford Bridge.