Manchester United have Portugal teenager Geovany Quenda firmly in their sights after scouting him before Ruben Amorim’s appointment, it can be revealed.
Quenda, 17, was given his senior debut by Amorim at Sporting Lisbon and the teenager he nurtured is among those he is believed to be open to working with in the future.
United have been linked with Quenda since Amorim’s appointment but it is understood that club scouts watched the winger last season, well before Erik ten Hag was sacked and his successor was targeted.
Quenda fits into United’s recent policy of targeting younger talent with potential to grow, rather than proven trophy-winners such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Casemiro from previous windows.
Ten Hag, before he was dismissed, publicly stated the change of approach in the market was partly down to finance and satisfying financial regulations. They signed Leny Yoro, 19, in the summer and Quenda is similar in being rated as one of the most promising teenagers in Europe.
Amorim introduced Quenda to the Sporting first team this season and he continued his excellent form into the Champions League fixture with Manchester City, setting up one of Viktor Gyokeres goals from his wing-back berth.
While Amorim has played him as a wing-back in his 3-4-3 system, Quenda can also be played as a forward.
Arch ball-carrier
The main area Quenda stands out this season is through his ball-carrying – he can be relied upon to move the ball up the pitch quickly. In the Primeira Liga this season, the youngster ranks in the top two full-backs/wing-backs in the division for total carries (defined as when a player moves the ball five metres or more); progressive carry distance (total distance that a player moves the ball upfield with their carries) and long progressive carries (total number of carries that moved the ball more than 10 metres upfield).
Pedigree
Like Amorim, Quenda started at Benfica but he ended up at Sporting, switching academies. At 16 he was already the top scorer for Sporting U23 team and was called into Amorim’s first-team squad even though he was unused last season.
Ronaldo-esque
He will eventually be a forward like Cristiano Ronaldo but has shown his potential at wing-back so far. At 17 he became the youngest player to score in the Portuguese league, which was a record held by Ronaldo before. He is also the youngest Sporting player in the Champions League.
On Roberto Martinez’s radar
“I like Quenda’s example because that’s what it is. He’s shown personality, quality and an incredible ability to adapt. A player who likes to get things off balance. Technical quality, but a quality that isn’t normal at 17. He played very well at the European Under-17 Championship,” said Portugal manager Martinez.
Other clubs
His agent, who has publicly likened his client to Bukayo Saka, will be busy in future windows. He was recommended to Newcastle but other Champions League clubs now believe he can make the next step in his career.
