Chelsea signing makes EARLY arrival ahead of summer transfer

Liam Rosenior coach of Chelsea FC during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD8 match between SSC Napoli and Chelsea FC at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on January 28, 2026 in Naples, Italy. — Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior (Image credit: Ivan Romano/Getty Images)

Chelsea have been able to welcome their summer signing from Sporting CP ahead of schedule, but the early union isn't the result of happy circumstances.

The Blues confirmed the signing of Portuguese winger Geovany Quenda from Sporting in March 2025, with the 18-year-old slated to leave the Lisbon club for London in the summer of this year.

Geovany Quenda 'recovering' at Cobham ahead of Chelsea transfer

LISBON, PORTUGAL - NOVEMBER 26: Geovany Quenda of Sporting CP celebrates after scoring a goal during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD5 match between Sporting CP and Club Brugge KV at Estadio Jose Alvalade on November 26, 2025 in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photo by Gualter Fatia/Getty Images) — Inbound Chelsea player Geovany Quenda celebrates scoring for Sporting (Image credit: Getty Images)

"Geovany Quenda has been carrying out much of his recovery from a fractured metatarsal at Chelsea's training ground," reports Kinsella.

"The 18‑year‑old has been given access to Chelsea's world‑class facilities at Cobham and the chance to familiarise himself with his future club ahead of his summer move."

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Chelsea agreed a reported £45 million move for Quenda last year on the back of an impressive showing at the Under-17 European Championship in 2024, which he followed up with another eye-catching contribution to the Under-21 European Championship the following year.

Billed as Chelsea's answer to Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka, Quenda has unfinished business in Portugal before his permanent switch to the Blues' Surrey base.

It's understood that he will return to action in March, with the Lions four points behind Portuguese league leaders Porto and in a rich vein of form in his absence.

Sporting's first and biggest league game of March will be against the Dragons at the Estadio Jose Alvalade on Tuesday, March 3.

Quenda was injured during a game against city rivals Benfica in December and faces a race against time to be available for Sporting's upcoming Champions League round of 16 fixtures, which will take place over two weeks in the middle of March.

Geovany Quenda of Sporting (R) runs with the ball during the match between Sporting CP and FC Porto at Estadio Municipal de Aveiro on August 3, 2024 in Aveiro, Portugal. — Quenda in action against Porto (Image credit: Pedro Loureiro/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)

"The decision to have Quenda continue his rehabilitation at Cobham is not always the case, with fellow future summer signings Emanuel Emegha, at Strasbourg, and Dastan Satpaev, at FC Kairat, both currently injured but completing their recovery away from Chelsea," writes Kinsella.

"Emegha has remained at Strasbourg, while Satpaev has been rehabilitating in the Middle East."

Sporting's remaining February fixtures take them to Moreirense on Saturday evening before a home fixture against Estoril on Friday, February 27.

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Chris is a Warwickshire-based freelance writer, Editor-in-Chief of AVillaFan.com, author of the High Protein Beef Paste football newsletter and owner of Aston Villa Review. He supports Northern Premier League Midlands Division club Coventry Sphinx.

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