CaughtOffside today have information from “sources with a close understanding of the situation” who claim to know that Chelsea are among the teams watching Sporting Club de Portugal winger Geovany Quenda.
The Blues, along with Arsenal, Man City and Man U, are keeping tabs on the 17 year old who is increasingly considered among the brightest talents in his age group in Europe.
Those sources claim Sporting want the young winger’s €100m fee paid in full. That’s not realistic of course, but it shows what they think of him. After moving to Portugal at a young age, Quenda has risen through the ranks at Benfica and Sporting, and this season has made his first team debut for Ruben Amorim.
Following that breakthrough, he extended his contract with the club and added the €100m release clause which now stands in the way of any potential suitor. With every impressive showing for the Lions, that price looks less silly.
Quenda will have to show exceptional ability for Chelsea to tear up winger plan
We’re always left writing the same thing in these stories now. The squad is full of talented young players as it stands. Not only that, there’s also even more incredible talent lined up to arrive next year: Estevao Willian looks genuinely like the best player in his position in his age group on the planet, and Kendry Paez isn’t far behind.
Under normal circumstances, we wouldn’t expect to see any other wingers arrive. But these sporting directors have shown that their desire to continue accumulating the best talent overrides any squad balance concerns, and if the player is good enough, they’re happy to rip up any previous plans.
Is Quenda that good? We will have to wait and see.
