Man United learn tough transfer lesson with £42m rejection as Ruben Amorim plan ruined

Chelsea's surprising move to hijack Manchester United's summer move for 17-year-old Geovany Quenda is one that came out of nowhere. But in reality, it's an outcome that United will have to get used to.

United have been monitoring the Sporting CP star since August when he made his debut, under Ruben Amorim. Since the Portuguese replaced Erik ten Hag in November, Quenda has been strongly linked with a move to Manchester.

During the January transfer window, various reports suggested a deal was close to being done for the summer. However, the Red Devils are now on course to miss out on Quenda.

It's understood that Chelsea have reached an agreement with Sporting to sign the teenager with him spending the 2025/26 season on loan in Lisbon before moving to Stamford Bridge in 2026 for a fee in the region of €45million-€50m (£37.9m-£42.1m), a figure not far from what United proposed.

On talkSPORT, journalist Ben Jacobs explained a key component in Quenda's decision-making. "In addition to Chelsea being able to move faster than Man United because their finances are healthier comparative to Ruben Amorim's side, the other factor in all of this is that, although Amorim knows Quenda well, he used the player at wing-back," he said.

"Chelsea's pitch is very much, 'you'll play as a wide, advanced winger capable of having opportunities on both sides'. He is a left-footed right winger but also enjoys playing on the other side as well, so slightly different football pitches and Chelsea are able to move faster financially speaking."

It's a stark reality that United are faced with. Sir Jim Ratcliffe's public admittance that United's coffers aren't as loaded as their league rivals, partnered by the fear that the club may be out of Europe next season means they aren't able to compete with their rivals.

Quenda had seemed to be a guarantee to follow Amorim to United but Chelsea's capability to pip them to his signature is one that fans should expect to see throughout the season. A number of players have been linked with the Red Devils, who are also on the radar of others.

If it comes to a matter of which club can offer the best financial package, United may struggle to get a number of their preferred deals completed this summer.