Fabrizio Romano transfer news: Quenda TRUTHS, Chelsea’s NEXT signing, ‘CRAZY’ Bruno Fernandes offer

Robin Bairner

Updated: 15 Mar 2025 09:25 GMT
5 min read

Fabrizio Romano, Geovany Quenda, Bruno Fernandes — © IMAGO

Fabrizio Romano has dropped the latest football transfer news, focusing on Chelsea’s pursuit of Geovany Quenda, who the Blues will move for next and a “crazy” offer for Bruno Fernandes.

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Quenda to Chelsea: Maresca’s key role in surprise deal

Geovany Quenda’s move to Chelsea has been completed, with the new breaking on Friday almost out of the blue.

Romano has revealed how the deal went down and why the Blues were so eager to make such an early move for the 17-year-old winger.

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Current ETV

Geovany Quenda

F (R), M (RL)

Sporting CP

Geovany Quenda

F (R), M (RL)

Sporting CP

ETV Range

€35.5M - €43.4M

“Let me confirm: Geovany Quenda to Chelsea: here we go! He can be considered a Chelsea player, the deal is done. All the contracts are done, with the agent of the player Jorge Mendes heavily involved in this story,” Romano told his YouTube channel.

“Chelsea wanted to keep everything a secret to avoid any hijack in the deal. It’s a seven-year deal, one-year options.

“Quenda will join Chelsea in summer 2026. This was a crucial point to get the deal done for Chelsea. Other clubs wanted to sign him immediately, including Manchester United. Chelsea were open to accepting Sporting’s conditions: ‘Let us enjoy the player for one more season, but we want to close the deal now. We don’t want to wait for the summer.’”

Chelsea were particularly eager to fend off competition from rival clubs, and the swiftness with which they acted left Manchester United stunned.

“Chelsea knew about Man Utd. They wanted Geovany Quenda. They tried to sign him in the January transfer window. The budget was something like €35m. Sporting said the transfer fee was absolutely not enough to sign the player. Man Utd decided to invest that budget on Patrick Dorgu and try again for Quenda in the summer.

“Man Utd were surprised by the bomb of Quenda to Chelsea.

“Bayern were also keen on him. They’ll sign a very important winger in the summer. They’ve already started discussions with the representatives of several wingers around Europe, and they spoke to Jorge Mendes about Quenda in the winter to be informed about the player.

“Chelsea wanted to anticipate these clubs and accepted Sporting’s conditions.

“I’m told the transfer fee doesn’t include any sell-on clause, any future sale percentage or any add-on. The transfer fee is €51m and Chelsea will cover the taxes of the deal.

“Maresca see Quenda as a perfect player to be a winger of the future, to play 1v1. That’s what Quenda wants to do. He doesn’t want to be a wing-back, as Man Utd were offering him in a 3-5-2, or maybe playing behind the striker. He wants be a pure winger and Chelsea were pushing a lot on this point. Maresca was crucial to explain this to the player.”

READ MORE: Latest Chelsea transfer rumours

STATS

Geovany Quenda

F (R), M (RL)

Sporting CP

Geovany Quenda

F (R), M (RL)

Sporting CP

43

Games
2

Goals
7

Assists

Dario Essugo to follow Quenda to Chelsea

Romano revealed that Chelsea are close to securing another new signing in the form of Dario Essugo, who is on loan at Las Palmas from Sporting CP.

Reports have suggested a deal could be concluded around the €22m mark.

“Chelsea remain interested in Dario Essugo, the Sporting midfielder,” Romano confirmed.

“Although they signed Mathis Amougou from Saint-Etienne as a midfielder, Essugo is still a player they want. He’s represented by the same people, so Chelsea had several conversations on the player’s side and on the club side with Sporting. He’s on loan to Las Palmas but owned by Sporting.

“It’s not a done deal at this stage, but they’re monitoring the player.”

Bruno Fernandes offered ‘crazy’ money from Saudi

Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes revealed on Thursday that he was subject to transfer interest last summer, though he did not reveal the nature of the offers he was given/

Romano has confirmed that the Portugal playmaker was offered “crazy” money by the Saudi Pro League but elected to remain at Man Utd.

“Bruno has always been super committed, super serious. I told you last summer that he was extending his contract at Man Utd. It was massive because Bruno said after Thursday’s game at Real Sociedad that he had the chance to leave Manchester United. He said he had an important proposal, important opportunities last summer but that he decided to stay,” Romano said.

© IMAGO - Man Utd's Bruno Fernandes in action for Portugal

“What’s the point? Is Bruno telling the truth? It’s more than true. He had two opportunities. One was an approach before the Champions League final, even before the start of the summer transfer window, from PSG. There was no chance of Man Utd giving the green light.

“PSG’s top target was always Joao Neves – number one, two and three. Bruno was an extra story. Never an alternative to Neves.

“But the real proposal he had on the table was from the Saudi Pro League. There was crazy money on the table in 2023 and 2024. Bruno decided to stay at Man Utd, to respect Man Utd. He loves the club, loves the city, loves the feeling he has with all the people of the club. He wants to win with Man Utd.”