Kenedy

Who is Kenedy?

Robert Kenedy Nunes Nascimento or very shortly Kenedy is a Brazilian forward who plays for Premier League club Chelsea.

Born in Santa Rita do Sapucai, Minas Gerais, the South American is named after Robert F. Kennedy.

Kenedy began his career at local outfit Santarritense before transferring to Friburguense in Rio de Janeiro state in 2007, going on to Atletico Mineiro and Vasco da Gama before arriving at Fluminense.

He made his professional debut in the summer of 2013 in a 2–0 Serie A defeat at Gremio.

Two years later, Fluminense announced that the player had been sold to an unnamed club for a sum around the region of £6.3 million.

It was later revealed that Kenedy was on trial at Chelsea, where the star played in a pre-season match versus Barcelona after Kenedy was given permission from the Brazilian outfit to play in the game as he hadn’t yet been formally signed. In August 2015, Chelsea finalised the transfer.

On 30 August 2016, he joined Watford on a one-year loan deal after having an offer accepted from the Blues.

Still, after struggling with injuries, boss Walter Mazzarri confirmed that the wide man had returned to Chelsea on 12 December after a poor loan spell.

After being recalled by the west London giants from his loan stint with Watford, Kenedy made his return for Chelsea in their 4–0 home win over Brentford in their FA Cup fourth-round tie.

Kenedy returned to Tyneside on loan for the 2018–19 term. On 2 September 2019, the attacker was loaned to La Liga club Getafe for the 2019–20 season.

Two months later, he scored his first top-flight goal of the season in a 1-0 victory against Celta Vigo.

The following year, Kenedy returned to Spain and, more concretely, Andalusia with Granada on loan until the end of 2020–21 term.

What is his playing style like?

Sometimes, talk of Kenedy has involved comparisons with his elder countryman Hulk, and it is easy to see why.

The Blues man has a similar bulldozing style as the Atletico Mineiro forward, powerfully surging attacker to beat full-backs and centre-halves with speed and a touch more guile than Hulk.

When Kenedy, whose main weapon in gathering up a head of speed is, lines up his sights, shot-stoppers and defenders, beware.

What does the future hold for Kenedy?

Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea may not even get to make a final decision on him come the summer.

Granada has an option to buy in the Brazilian’s contract, and given the way he has played, a permanent transfer is not out of the question.