Geovany Quenda to Chelsea: Shrewd Business Deal or Another Square Peg in a Round Hole?
Football is as much about loyalty, rivalry, and drama as it is about the tactical nous of managers and the skills of the players. Every so often, a transfer happens that gets tongues wagging across the footballing world, leaving fans divided in opinion, pundits engaged in endless debates, and social media ablaze with various takes.
In recent weeks, news broke of an agreement being reached between Chelsea FC and Sporting Clube de Portugal for the transfer of precocious wonderkid, Geovany Quenda. The transfer is set for the summer of 2026 however, with Sporting opting to keep him for an extra year on loan before his switch to the Blues. The move in itself may seem as straightforward as they come, but there are several talking points that must be considered when discussing this deal.
U-Turn On United
As soon as Ruben Amorim, Quenda’s former manager at Sporting, was confirmed as the new Manchester United Head Coach in late October 2024, the transfer rumour mill began to spin with speculation on United’s incomings in the summer 2025 transfer window.
Quenda was sounded out as Amorim’s preferred addition in the right wingback position; a position in which the teenager has thrived to date. His deal to move to Chelsea has seen a U-turn which would not only see Quenda move to Amorim’s league rivals but also move to a team with a completely different playing system than he’s used to, though reports suggest United wanted a straight deal rather than send him back on loan to Sporting which worked in Chelsea’s favour.
System Adaptation
In football, the role of a wingback is defined by its hybrid nature — a player straddling the line between defender and winger, tasked with relentless runs along the flanks, providing width, supporting attacking play, and contributing defensively. For a young wingback, transitioning to a team that operates without wingbacks requires not only a tactical adjustment but also a shift in mentality, skill application, and positional awareness.
All these are the challenges before the young Portuguese international, as Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca favours a direct 4-3-3 formation. It will therefore be intriguing to see where Quenda fits in, particularly because Maresca has a plethora of wide players already at his disposal, with some even out on loan.
Squad Depth
As has been already mentioned, the Chelsea squad has, in the past two seasons, been stacked with personnel in every department. The squad is bloated to the point that the club has 8 goalkeepers currently on its books. This on the surface may seem like an advantage, with the Blues being able to shuffle their whole matchday squad for their UEFA Europa Conference League campaign.
Ultimately, however, this has been to the detriment of Maresca, with the Italian gaffer having to sideline and or freeze out players whom he feels do not fit into his plans. Quenda would do well to hit the ground running when he eventually does arrive as the competition for places in the Manager’s preferred XI is set to be as fierce as it’s ever been.
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Managerial Uncertainty
The last talking point has to be the most pertinent; With Quenda due to join in over a year, will Maresca still be in the job? Chelsea’s hire-and-fire policy has not changed despite the change in ownership. Since current owner Todd Boehly acquired Chelsea in 2022, the club has gone through six managers (Full-time and Caretaker).
A stuttering campaign that started with some much promise has left the Blues in a four-way dogfight for Champions League with the likes of Newcastle United, a surprisingly lethargic Manchester City and Brighton & Hove Albion. Another such campaign may most likely see Maresca relieved of his duties, and that would mean another manager through the door at Stamford Bridge.
It would be foolhardy to suggest that the higher-ups at the club hire a manager who plays with wingbacks in his system to accommodate one player, so Quenda will have to adapt to whatever situation he may find himself in when he arrives in West London.
Ultimately, this move could be the making or the breaking of Geovany Quenda. It could shape him into a more complete footballer and, perhaps, even redefine his role in the modern game, or it could see him lumped in with Chelsea’s growing list of castaways and afterthoughts.
We watch on with interest.
By: Edward Okaro / @KingArinze
Featured Image: @GabFoligno / Gualter Fatia / Getty Images