Arriving without much fanfare from Brazilian top division side Fluminense during the 2015 summer transfer window, Kenedy had a rather unexpected debut season at Chelsea after emerging from pre-season not only with a work permit but with a first-team spot as well. Unfortunately, he followed up that promising first season with just 109 minutes of total playing time in the second, 94 of which came after he was recalled by Chelsea in January from his failed loan at Watford.
Given how little he’s played even without much depth behind Marcos Alonso at left wing-back, Kenedy’s prospects at Chelsea look fairly bleak, certainly in the short-term but perhaps in a more definitive long-term view as well.
A loan move for next season would be anything but unexpected, and according to Voetbal International, PSV Eindhoven, who recently spoke of wanting to expand on the recent loan-relationship built through Marco van Ginkel, just might be the club to take on the 21-year-old’s services. Chelsea are apparently open to both a loan move and a permanent transfer as well.
While unnamed clubs from Spain and Italy are also supposedly keen on his services, at PSV, Kenedy would serve as either a substitute or a replacement for left back Jetro Willems, whose contract is expiring in a year and thus looks likely to leave this summer.
For Kenedy, this could very well be the first step towards turning his career in Europe around. His playing style as an offensive-minded full back or winger would suit the Eredivisie very well.