Bernardo thinks Chelsea are signing his successor after £42m transfer agreement

Chelsea agreed a deal for this Sporting CP starlet in March, and Manchester City ace Bernardo Silva feels as though they've bagged a prodigious talent

Manchester City's Bernardo Silva fears that 17-year-old Geoveny Quenda, who is set to join Chelsea in 2026 from Sporting CP, could steal his Portugal place. It was announced last month that the teenage Quenda will leave the Portuguese capital in 2026 and head to Stamford Bridge in a deal that could rise to over £40million.

The prodigy, who put pen to paper on a seven-year contract, has previously been linked with Manchester United and former boss Ruben Amorim, but made the decision in March that London would be his next destination. Quenda is a highly thought-of talent if the comments of not just his former coaches, but fellow countryman Silva, are to be believed, as the 30-year-old admitted that it could be the teenage sensation who one day replaces him at international level.

When asked about the eyewatering talent held by the Portugal U21 star, Silva was quick to admit that his senior spot could be at risk one day, saying: "He will probably steal my place. At 17, I wasn't even playing for Benfica's youth team."

However, Silva has not been the only one to praise the young, up-and-coming Quenda ahead of his move to Enzo Maresca's Blues next year.

His former manager, Amorim - now in charge of the faltering Red Devils, who reportedly showed an interest in signing Quenda before his Chelsea move was agreed - shared insight into what makes him such a special talent.

"Very talented kid." Amorim began when he was manager of Sporting. "[He's] Very physically robust, very focused, with his feet firmly on the ground. That's very important for a young player.

"He got his chance, and there was no chance to take it away, no doubt, nothing. I think he's going to be a great player, but let's give it time."

Another who once worked with Quenda amidst Sporting's academy ranks, coach Fabio Roque, has also been complimentary of the future Blue.

The former U15 boss compared Quenda's talent to one of the Premier League's finest young stars - Arsenal's Bukayo Saka - while placing him upon a similar pedestal to the likes of Barcelona phenom Lamine Yamal.

"Geo is so demanding with himself in the defensive moments," former Sporting academy coach Roque told Sky Sports when asked about the 17-year-old.

"To close, to recover fast, to win the defensive duels for his teammates. It reminds me of Bukayo Saka at the beginning of his career when he played as a full-back.

"There is only one Geovany Quenda [though]. He is different from any other player I trained. He can create a mark on football that is totally different.

"We are talking about, with Lamine Yamal and Estevao Willian [who will join Chelsea this summer], probably the best players in that generation born in 2007."