Chelsea loan army: Keep, loan or sell? Kenedy (Part 31)

In Part 30 of this series, I broke down Izzy Brown’s career at Chelsea and discussed what his future in football looks like. For those who haven’t read the introductory piece to this series, a different player will be the subject of a new article every day. I began with goalkeepers and am currently in the process of working my way up the pitch, with each position group being sorted in order by the way in which they appear on the club’s website.

As I move on with the loan army series, I continue the deep dive into the loan army forwards with Kenedy. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention my favorite trivial fact relating to Chelsea in this piece. Kenedy—whose full name is Robert Kenedy Nunes Nascimento—gets his name from the late U.S. politician, Robert “Bobby” Kennedy. That’s enough about the Brazilian’s personal life though, let’s get into his footballing career.

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• Chelsea loan Army: How Ian Maatsen has got on at Burnley
• What’s next for Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher as asking price revealed?
• The next man up for Chelsea: Left back Ian Maatsen
• The next man up for Chelsea: Center forward Mason Burstow

What does Kenedy’s Chelsea career look like?

Kenedy began his sporting journey in his native Brazil with a host of clubs including Santarritense, Friburguense, Vasco da Gama and Atletico Mineiro. It was his success in the youth ranks with these teams that saw him join one of Brazil’s most prestigious clubs, Fluminense. Kenedy spent four seasons with the academy teams at Fluminense before making his professional debut in 2013 at the age of 16. He went on to play in nine matches during his maiden campaign in senior football. It was the next season that Kenedy became an important piece in the Fluminense side. He went on to play in 21 games as a teenager during the 2014 season, racking up five goal contributions from wide positions.

Kenedy’s breakthrough as a teenager in Brazil’s top flight earned him a trial with Chelsea, who eventually signed him in the summer of 2015. Throughout his career, he’s played as a left back, left midfielder, left winger, center forward, second striker, attacking midfielder, right winger and right midfielder. Kenedy’s versatility is one of the many reasons the Blues pulled the trigger on a move. The 19-year-old went on to make 20 appearances for the Blues during his first season in England. Chelsea decided to send him out on loan for the first time the following season when he joined Watford. He played in just one match—a 15′ cameo in the Premier League—with the Hornets before returning to Stamford Bridge in December. Kenedy’s loan to Watford is seen largely as a failure due to his constant bout with injuries. He would go on to spend the remainder of the season with Antonio Conte’s Blues.

The youngster found himself in hot water with the club during Chelsea’s 2017/18 preseason tour of China. Kenedy published a few ignorant comments regarding the country, which were surely taken out of context, but foolish regardless. He was swiftly sent home and reprimanded by the club, according to a statement, but the damage was done. The Blues have yet to return to the Asian country since the incident.

The beginning of the 2017/18 season saw a deadline day switch to Newcastle fall through and the Brazilian remained with the Blues. He played for Conte’s side just five times—all appearances in cup competitions—before moving Tyneside in January. It was with the Toons that he saw his European football career really take off for the first time. During his season and a half with Newcastle, Kenedy solidified his reputation as someone who was able to play all over the pitch. He made a total of 41 appearances, scoring three goals and notching an equal number of assists.

Unfortunately though, on the back of successive successful loan spells, there was still no room for him in the Blues’ squad. He’s embarked on two more loan spells over the last two seasons, both in Spain’s top flight. Kenedy’s 2019/20 season at Getafe saw him take on the roll of a super sub. Despite not playing much, he made an impact off the bench during his 27 matches, tallying eight goal contributions in about 950 minutes.

Kenedy’s efforts during the current campaign have been even greater. He’s started in 34 of the 44 contests he’s appeared in with Granada. His eight goals and six assists have helped the Spanish side to a top-half place in La Liga, while the team has also made deep runs in the Europa League and other cup competitions. Kenedy finally looks like he’s beginning to live up to his potential, which could make things interesting regarding his future.

This begs the question: what does Chelsea do with Kenedy this summer?

Verdict: Keep or sell

The Blues may not even get to make a decision on Kenedy come the summer. Granada has an option to buy in his contract and given the way he’s played, a permanent move is not out of the question. Time will tell what happens on that front, but should he return to Chelsea, the Blues have two options.

If there is truly a path to more playing time with the first team, Thomas Tuchel could utilize Kenedy’s versatility and experience up top, even if it is just as a rotational player. His stint with Granada has shown us that he’s still incredibly talented and capable of racking up goals. Most importantly, Kenedy seems happy playing football again. The experience of his compatriot Thiago Silva and other mature mentors could see him become more comfortable settling back down in London. On the other hand, the Blues could opt to sell Kenedy. He’s got one year remaining on his contract and he’d be coming off his most successful season to date. Mix that in with his age and that’s a recipe for a decent transfer fee. Either way, it’s a win-win for both parties.

Remember to check back with The Pride of London each and every day as I dive into the largely uncharted world of Chelsea’s famous loan army. Part 32’s subject is forward Malik Mothersille.