Chelsea may fulfill Newcastle’s top wish of the summer by loaning Kenedy back to St. James’ Park. If the Blues have enough information to make a loan, they have enough to make a permanent transfer.
Kenedy’s half-season loan was one of the rare pieces of business that made everybody involved happy. Antonio Conte was happy to have one of his least-favoured players away from the club. Kenedy was happy to be playing and starting regularly. Newcastle were happy to have his speed, goals and willingness to play hard and learn hard under Rafael Benitez. Chelsea were happy to see one of their long-touted players finally deliver on his potential, opening the door for either his return to the first team or increasing his transfer value.
Unsurprisingly, Newcastle immediately asked for Kenedy to stay on a permanent transfer. He became one of their top targets for the summer, and the universal appeal of the deal made it an (apparent) no-brainer.
Chelsea are set to loan Kenedy back to Newcastle for the 2018/19 season. Although this seems like a partial consummation of everyone’s wishes, it once again raises questions about who is calling the shots at Stamford Bridge.
If Antonio Conte is still Chelsea’s coach this season, he will have no use for Kenedy at pre-season training. Kenedy will not be a part of his plans under any circumstances. Conte would not want the club to expend their resources on Kenedy, and he certainly would not him in the locker room. Nor would he want to risk another disciplinary / public relations incident like last summer. An early loan would be best for all involved. Newcastle would get the benefit of a full pre-season with Kenedy, and Chelsea would get the benefit of a full pre-season without.
So… Is Antonio Conte going to be Chelsea’s coach this season? This loan makes it seem like he is.
If Conte is not in charge, Chelsea’s anonymous loan maestro is making a significant decision to the exclusion and detriment of the next coach. Kenedy could be a valuable part of a Chelsea squad. He has the physical and technical attributes for Maurizio Sarri’s style of play. With the proper guidance he could excel anywhere on the left side, from left-back to winger. He also has the benefit of a year under Rafael Benitez – one of the game’s best talent develoeprs – in the Premier League.
The next manager – Maurizio Sarri or otherwise – could very well have had Kenedy on his “keep a close eye on” list for pre-season. Kenedy may even have been an early “definite keep” for the incoming manager. If there is an incoming manager. An incoming manager who already will have a truncated pre-season to assess his players and build a team.
A loan under these circumstances is the quintessential empty compromise. If Conte remains in charge, Chelsea should sell Kenedy so he can have stability and a proper career trajectory at Newcastle. If Conte’s time is up (48 hours, right?), Kenedy should still be at Cobham and so the next manager has a chance to pass his verdict.
Only two factors slightly mitigate this loan. First, if Chelsea and Conte have agreed he will coach this season and then absolutely, no-questions-asked, lots-of-hard-feelings leave at the end of May, the loan defers the decision to the next coach. And that coach, therefore, has a definite arrival window. Second, Kenedy will be 23 at the end of the upcoming season. This proposed new coach, therefore, could make his decision on Kenedy when Kenedy is at the age where clubs should end their loans and either promote or transfer players. The timing of Conte’s departure and Kenedy’s final trial at Chelsea could coincide.
But that is a lot of pieces in motion for a club not very adept at handling one static piece in isolation. Everything in the preceding paragraph is a basic example of what technical directors do. Technical directors like the one Chelsea do not have.
Next: Tactics and Transfers: Chelsea need the Eden Hazard on display at Belgium
Chelsea’s decision to loan Kenedy looks like action in a vacuum. It is not the worst possible option for the parties involved, but it is hardly a solid solution. For this summer, though, that passes as a win.