Fabrizio Romano has revealed a “crucial” second reason why Geovany Quenda is joining Chelsea and not Manchester United.
Man Utd and Ruben Amorim had their sights set on bringing the highly-regarded 17-year-old over to Old Trafford. The United boss managed Quenda at Sporting CP and used the talented teen at right wing-back in the months prior to succeeding Erik ten Hag.
Yet despite exploring a move and the obvious Amorim connection, Quenda is heading to Chelsea.
That news was broken by Fabrizio Romano in the early hours of Friday morning. Agreements between Sporting and Chelsea and between Chelsea and Quenda have been struck and the Portugal Under-21 international has already passed a ‘secret’ medical.
Offering insight into why it’s Chelsea and not Man Utd who Quenda will join, trusted journalist David Ornstein pointed to the numbers.
The Athletic reporter claimed Man Utd only intended to offer around €40m. Chelsea, meanwhile, have agreed to pay a fee in the €45m-€50m range.
But according to Romano, there is a second and no less important reason why Quenda is heading to London and not Manchester.
“There is a crucial point,” said Romano on his YouTube channel. “Geovany Quenda will join Chelsea in the summer of 2026, so not now (upcoming summer), but letting the player stay at Sporting for one more season.
“This is a crucial topic in the conversations club to club, because Man Utd wanted Quenda to join the club immediately.
“He was considered an important part of the conversation for Ruben Amorim in this (upcoming) summer window.
“Chelsea have Willian Estevao and Kendry Paez coming to the club. Of course these are different players with different skills, but still offensive players.
“Chelsea already have many players in those positions, and so they are willing to accept Sporting’s condition – let [Sporting] have the player for one more season in order to anticipate other clubs and sign Geovany Quenda.”
Full details in Geovany Quenda coup
As mentioned, Chelsea will pay a sum in the region of €45m-€50m. That currently equates to £38m-£42m.
A seven-year deal running until 2033 has been agreed with the player. An option to extend Quenda’s contract to cover the 2033/34 campaign has also been included.
And as Romano stated and Ornstein alluded to in his own report, Chelsea plan to field Quenda as an out-and-out winger.
United and Amorim’s idea was to deploy the left-footer at right wing-back, with January signing Patrick Dorgu featuring at left wing-back.
Chelsea do not operate with wing-backs and will position the versatile star in a more advanced winger role on whichever side Enzo Maresca sees fit.
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The full 26-man list can be found here, including a surprise Liverpool inclusion and a notable Arsenal omission.
Elsewhere, Paul Scholes believes Ruben Amorim has dropped a big clue regarding a potential Man Utd signing worth €60m.