Chelsea has continued their strategy of acquiring the best youth players in the game, although this time they were not the ones to announce that they had done so.
Sporting Lisbon, on the other hand, announced the news by posting an official statement on their website, which detailed the double deal that they had made for Geovany Quenda and Dario Essugo.
Despite the fact that the two midfielders will arrive for a total fee of £62.4 million, the more expensive of the two, winger Quenda, who is worth £44 million, will remain in Portugal for the upcoming tournament.
Essugo, on the other hand, will be joining Chelsea this summer for a fee of £18.4 million. He excelled during his loan stint at Las Palmas, a club in La Liga, during the current season.
Although he has received two red cards in his last four games, the defensive midfielder, who is twenty years old, has been one of a number of players who have stood out for the island side, despite the fact that they are currently engaged in a battle for relegation.
As for Quenda, the 17-year-old appears to be the next elite talent to emerge from Sporting’s incredible youth academy. He has scored two goals and provided six assists in his breakthrough season.
His fee of £44 million is the highest for any player who was transferred before the age of 18, although Endrick of Real Madrid could eventually surpass him in terms of his fee because his £30 million deal includes an additional £30 million in add-ons.
His name was frequently mentioned in connection with a transfer to Manchester United, where he would have been able to play alongside other Portuguese superstars such as Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot.
During a recent interview, Dalot was asked about Quenda, who had recently been called up to the senior Portugal squad. Dalot stated that the young player possesses the potential to be a mainstay at the international level for many years to come.
The defender for the Red Devils stated, “Above all else, it is yet another demonstration of the quality of the Portuguese player, of football in Portugal.”
The reason he is here is because he is a player of exceptional quality and he has a lot of potential.
We are here to assist him because he enjoys playing, he is happy, and he expresses himself in the best way that he is capable of, despite the fact that he is aware that being here is not for everyone and that being able to represent a large club for which he will play is a great responsibility.
It was his quality, however, that brought him to this place. He is aware that he must put in a lot of effort. The piece of advice that is always given is the same: “The most difficult part is not getting there, but staying there, and I believe that he possesses all of the qualifications to do so.”
Before the summer transfer window opens, Chelsea has already agreed to terms for the transfer of Estevao Willian (worth £29 million) and Kendry Paez (worth £17 million), so they have already spent more than just the £62.4 million that was mentioned.
Additionally, Estevao broke a number of age records for Palmeiras during his breakout campaign in Brazil, just like Quenda did. Both of these teenagers are at the highest level of competition.
“Messinho,” which literally translates to “little Messi,” is the nickname given to the 17-year-old attacker who has surpassed Neymar in a number of categories, including the most goals and assists for an under-18 player.
When it comes to the transfer market, Chelsea has always been one of the most active teams in European football. However, since Clearlake Capital and Todd Boehly took over as owners of the club, things have taken an even more significant turn for the better.
All of the players on the team that won the Champions League in 2021 have been completely reconstructed, and the age range has been drastically reduced, which has resulted in two record windows.
The Blues broke the record for the most money spent in January with £320 million at the beginning of 2023, after having spent a staggering £450 million during the summer transfer window of 2022, which was a world record.
The youth policy has paid off in some areas, with Cole Palmer becoming one of the game’s premier talents since moving to Stamford Bridge. Although Chelsea’s results have not quite followed, with the club finishing 12th and sixth in the Premier League, the policy has brought about some positive outcomes.
On the other hand, things are beginning to look up for the Blues, who are currently engaged in a heated competition to finish in the top four and to qualify for the Champions League once again.
There is currently only a five-point gap between Chelsea, who is currently in fourth place, and Bournemouth, who is currently in tenth place. Additionally, Manchester City, Newcastle, Brighton, Fulham, and Aston Villa are all vying for a spot in Europe’s top tier.
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