How Chelsea beat Man United to £40m star as Cristiano Ronaldo influence explained

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Geovany Quenda's football journey began in an unconventional manner - with a pair of denim jeans.

At under 10 years old, Quenda arrived for his first training session with Portuguese club Damaiense in casual denim jeans, as his kit was not yet ready. Despite initial reluctance from the club to let him play at first, Quenda's impressive dribbling skills left them no choice but to let him display his talent.

His performance left the coaches at Damaiense astounded, ensuring his first training session would be one they'd never forget. It was hardly surprising then, that Quenda quickly established himself as one of the most promising youngsters in the club's academy, donning the Damaiense kit.

However, Damaiense were aware that they couldn't hold onto this rising star for long. At just over 10 years old, Quenda caught the attention of scouts from Benfica during a youth tournament, and the Portuguese giants swiftly moved to integrate the young winger into their academy system.

After spending roughly three years honing his skills under some of Portugal's top coaches at Benfica, Sporting CP began to show interest. Quenda was the talk of the town, widely recognised as Portugal's next big thing in football, reports Football London .

At the tender age of 14, Quenda was lured by Sporting Lisbon's reputation for nurturing some of Portugal's finest talent, including Cristiano Ronaldo , Luis Figo, Paulo Futre, Nani and Joao Moutinho, after being sold false promises by Benfica.

Quenda and his entourage saw Sporting as the ideal stepping stone in his fledgling career. The club's proven track record of transforming raw young talent into world-class players through their coaching methods and facilities appealed to Quenda's ambition.

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Upon joining Sporting, it quickly became evident that Quenda was one of the most promising talents in the academy. Despite his shy nature, he thrived under pressure, a trait evident even during his junior days.

By the age of 16, he was already the top goal scorer for Sporting's Under-23s team, playing well beyond his years. Ruben Amorim, Sporting's manager at the time, recognised his potential and called him up to the first-team squad on several occasions when he was just 16. However, Quenda didn't make his senior debut until he was 17, in a high-stakes match against Porto.

Despite his lack of experience, the hype and reputation surrounding Quenda made his inclusion a no-brainer. Amorim had faith in him. The current Manchester United boss maintained a close relationship with those who had mentored Quenda throughout his academy years and decided to take the gamble.

His trust was rewarded, as Quenda became the club's youngest-ever player to score in a competitive first-team match at just 17 years and 95 days old. Despite Sporting losing the game 4-3, Quenda's trajectory was set.

An injury to Nuno Santos then provided Quenda with a chance in the first XI under Amorim. The records began to tumble: Quenda became the youngest player to score in Liga Portugal (surpassing Ronaldo), the youngest player to start in the Champions League for Sporting, and in the 2024/25 season, he became the youngest player at Sporting to score in Europe's top competition.

In his breakout season with the club, he racked up more assists than Ronaldo, Nani, Figo, Simao Sabrosa and Ricardo Quaresma did during their debut seasons. So it's no wonder that clubs from across Europe were keeping tabs on Quenda.

Amorim, the man who gave him his break in Lisbon, was eager to bring him to Manchester United. Chelsea had secured a strong position with Quenda and his representatives at the start of 2025. By mid-March, the Blues had hammered out an agreement with Sporting, believed to be worth £40million, for Quenda to make the move to Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2026.

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The plan is for Quenda to continue his impressive development in Portugal this season before joining Enzo Maresca and the squad for the 2026/27 campaign.

Mirror Football understands the club has informed Quenda that he will be part of Maresca's first-team plans in SW6 next season. While some speculated about a loan move for the Portuguese international, who will be 19 when he arrives in west London, Chelsea have plans for him to be involved with the senior squad in 2026/27.

Currently, Quenda's main focus is on helping Sporting clinch the Liga Portugal title, with Rui Borges' side currently trailing leaders Porto by three points after 11 matches. However, behind the scenes, the 18-year-old winger has been taking intensive English lessons to help him adapt quicker when he moves to the UK, and has attended some Chelsea home games to understand the team's style of play.

Insiders have revealed that Quenda has been focusing on enhancing his physical fitness by undertaking muscle-strengthening exercises in preparation for his Premier League move. Always striving for improvement, it's no surprise that he frequently reviews his performances via video, while also studying clips of other wingers like Neymar, Lamine Yamal and Ronaldo to enhance his own game.

However, life at Chelsea won't be a walk in the park for Quenda. The Blues are already brimming with young attacking talent.

Tyrique George, a product of the club's renowned academy, doesn't seem to have much of a future at Stamford Bridge. The 19-year-old forward has only made nine appearances in all competitions this season - and the fact that a player of his calibre and potential has been nothing more than a fringe player demonstrates the depth Maresca has at his disposal.

Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens were brought in over the summer, suggesting that the left flank could potentially be sorted for years to come from a Chelsea perspective. Estevao Willian is seen as a once-in-a-generation talent by those within the club and he has begun his journey in SW6 with relative ease, while Cole Palmer and Pedro Neto are two of Maresca's most trusted attacking options.

The Guinea-Bissau-born teenager, Quenda, is ready to take on any role across the front line for Chelsea. He's proven his versatility at Sporting, demonstrating his ability to play both as a winger and a No.10.

Quenda knows that earning a spot in Chelsea's lineup won't be easy, but he's not daunted by the challenge. He understands that success at Chelsea requires hard work, but the Portuguese star is confident he can become one of the world's best - his ultimate goal.

Chelsea continue to bolster its young attacking squad. Some may laugh when the Blues sign another teenage talent, but as we've seen with Estevao's early days at Stamford Bridge, it can pay off handsomely.

With Quenda, the club is confident they'll have the last laugh once again.