Chelsea have successfully hijacked a Manchester United transfer that reports in Portugal claimed was as good as done, with Fabrizio Romano revealing all on the Blues’ incredible coup.
Ruben Amorim made it crystal clear he would not raid former club Sporting CP in the January window upon taking charge at Man Utd. However, all bets were off beyond that first opportunity, with several Sporting stars including Geovany Quenda and Viktor Gyokeres in his sights.
17-year-old Quenda is one of the brightest talents Portugal have produced in recent memory and operated at right wing-back during Amorim’s final months in Lisbon.
On the back of signing Patrick Dorgu to play at left wing-back in January, trusted reporter David Ornstein confirmed Man Utd were ‘looking into a deal’ for Quenda ahead of the summer.
Portuguese outlet A Bola took it a giant step further, claiming: ‘Manchester United have already grabbed Quenda for the summer.’
And as recently as the beginning of this week, A Bola again talked up a move to Old Trafford, claiming Quenda’s summer exit was ‘inevitable’ and Man Utd had ‘reserved’ a deal.
But according to a bombshell update from Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea have pulled off a transfer masterstroke.
Taking to X, Romano revealed Chelsea had been secretly working on a deal of their own for Quenda and their negotiating ‘blitz’ has paid huge dividends.
Romano wrote in the early hours of Friday morning: “Chelsea agree deal for Portuguese top talent Geovany Quenda, here we go!
“Medical DONE for Quenda after secret blitz, he will join Chelsea in 2026.
“Club to club agreement completed with Sporting and Quenda said yes to Chelsea project & Enzo Maresca’s plans.”
Clues on fee Chelsea, Sporting have agreed
How much Chelsea have agreed to pay Sporting isn’t yet clear and should emerge over the course of the day. However, past reports do offer an insight into the numbers involved.
Quenda’s current deal in Lisbon contains a hefty €100m/£84m release clause, though it was anticipated a deal could be struck for a much reduced fee.
Sporting value Quenda around the €60m/£50.3m mark on the open market. When reporting on Man Utd’s attempts to agree a deal, Ornstein suggested a figure of around €40m/£33.5m could be enough to seal a deal.
In any case, what is clear is Chelsea and Sporting have already shaken hands on a club-to-club agreement and Quenda has approved the move too.
And as Romano stated, Quenda is now in line to link up with his future Chelsea teammates in 2026 and not the upcoming summer.
IN FOCUS: Who is Geovany Quenda?
By Nathan Egerton
Born in Guinea-Bissau in April 2007, Quenda moved to Portugal as a child and joined Amadora-based club Damaiense at the age of eight.
He also spent two years in Benfica’s academy before joining their arch-rivals Sporting CP in 2021.
In February 2024, he started a Liga 3 game against Amora and became the youngest-ever player to play for Sporting’s reserve team at the age of 16.
The left-footer showcased his pace and his dribbling ability and caught the attention of first-team manager Ruben Amorim.
“He can play in several positions, he has a lot of quality and irreverence. He is another option,” Amorim said after naming him on the bench for a Europa League tie against Atalanta in March 2024.
Quenda has also shone on the international stage as his performances for Portugal at the 2024 UEFA European Under-17 Championship earned him a place in the Team of the Tournament.
He marked his senior debut for Sporting with a goal against Porto in August 2024 and became the youngest goalscorer in the club’s history at the age of 17 years and 95 days, overtaking the likes of Ronaldo and Simao.
The teenager then became the youngest Portuguese player to start a Champions League match during Sporting’s 2-0 win over Lille in September 2024.
He has also been called up to the senior Portugal squad and was an unused substitute in their 2-1 win over Scotland in the UEFA Nations League.
“The national team coaches always say that age is not a factor. (Quenda) showed incredible personality, quality and adaptability,” Roberto Martinez said.
“He’s a player who likes to make things difficult (for defenders). He has technical quality (that is) not normal for a 17-year-old. He’s now in Sporting’s first team and has shown incredible personality.”
Quenda has since made two appearances for Portugal’s Under-21s and registered an assist in a 2-1 win over Andorra.
Chelsea in dreamland as Man Utd transfer incredibly hijacked after ‘secret’ medical and double agreement
