Sporting Lisbon have handed Geovany Quenda an £84 million release clause in an attempt to ward off Premier League giants Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.
- Exclusive from Graeme Bailey
The Portuguese champions already have one much-coveted player protected by a 100 million buy-out clause.
And Sporting boss Ruben Amorim insisted last week that anyone keen to take Viktor Gyokeres away from the Estadio Jose Alvalade – HITC understands that both Arsenal and Chelsea scouted him against Lille on Tuesday – would have to put their money where their mouth is.
Gyokeres, opening the scoring in the Champions League opener, now has nine goals from just seven appearances this season. Since moving to Lisbon from Coventry City, the prolific Swede has hit the target 52 times in 57 games.
It should therefore come as no surprise to learn that Gyokeres, once of Brighton and Swansea, has emerged high on the radar of at least two Premier League clubs on the lookout for an elite number nine.
But if Gyokeres has proven himself worthy of an £80 million-plus price-tag, it would take a massive leap of faith for any club to make such an offer for Sporting team-mate Geovany Quenda.
Manchester City and Tottenham eye Geovany Quenda
The baby-faced wonderkid forward only turned 17 in April, after all. He also has just seven first-team appearances to his name.
But such has been the speed of Quenda’s ascent in recent weeks, HITC can confirm that four of the big-hitters of English football are already taking a very close look. Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham have all been tracking the teenager.
United, under Ineos, have taken more of an interest in the next generation of superstars. Youngsters Sekou Kone and Samuel Lusale have joined, while arguably the best Under-18 striker in England – Chido Obi-Martin – is also set to arrive from Arsenal.
Chelsea, meanwhile, have spent considerable sums on teenage talent. Tottenham too, fighting off competition from Barcelona for Lucas Bergvall and ‘every top club in Europe’ – to quote Leeds boss Daniel Farke – for the versatile Archie Gray.
In Quenda, Sporting believe they have a special talent rising through the ranks at a club that nurtured Luis Figo, Nani and a certain Cristiano Ronaldo.
So much so that Sporting have now bumped his release clause up to a staggering 100 million euros in an attempt to both protect his value and ward off suitors.
Bernardo Silva is a big fan of Sporting Lisbon starlet
Quenda, scorer of six goals in 18 games for Portugal’s Under-18 side, played 73 minutes on the right wing as Amorim’s side defeated Lille 2-0. Remarkably, despite his tender age, the 17-year-old has been included in Sporting’s XI for every single one of their seven games so far in 2024/25.
Quenda was even called up to the senior squad for the first time by Portugal boss Roberto Martinez ahead of September’s UEFA Nations League fixtures.
“The national team coaches always say that age is not a factor. (Quenda) showed incredible personality, quality and adaptability,” former Everton and Belgium coach Martinez tells A Bola.
“He’s a player who likes to make things difficult (for defenders). He has technical quality (that is) not normal for a 17-year-old. He’s now in Sporting’s first team and has shown incredible personality.
“And, now, he’s shown that he’s ready for the national team. Good news for Portuguese football!”
Quenda, still seven months away from his 18th birthday, is now the youngest Portuguese player to start a Champions League match. His new contract at Sporting, meanwhile, ties him down to the summer of 2027.
By that time, could Quenda already be a regular for the national team?
Bernardo Silva, the Manchester City playmaker, believes that his fellow right-sider could be the one to inherit his starting spot at some point down the line.
“Quenda will probably steal my place. He is playing in a position that I can occupy on the pitch,” Silva tells A Bola, feeling that the Man City target is further ahead than he was at the same age.
“At 17, I wasn’t even playing for Benfica’s youth team!”
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