Chelsea winger Kenedy has revealed that he is thankful to Newcastle United and Rafael Benitez for the time that he got to spend on loan with the Magpies last season. Kenedy and Benitez appeared to have had a good relationship. The youngster initially joined the Toon Army for the second half of the 2017/18 season. He went on to impress during that time as he scored two Premier League goals from 13 appearances.
That led to another loan spell for the entirety of last season during which he scored one goal from 25 Premier League appearances. Many would have thought that the Blues saw no future for the former Brazil U-23 international but he will get an opportunity to make a name for himself during the upcoming season after the Blues were slapped with a two window transfer ban in January.
Kenedy has been on the books of Chelsea since 2015 after arriving from Fluminense. He never really established himself within the squad though he did show some signs of potential during his first season with the team. During the 2015/16 season, he went on to make 20 appearances in all competitions and scored two goals. The 2016/17 season was and first-half of the 2017/18 season were low points for him. He did however manage to regain form and consistency whilst playing under Benitez at St James Park.
The experience which the South American would have gained from his time with the Toon Army would have certainly helped him to iron out errors in his game and to mature as a player.
Kenedy is likely to get his fair share of opportunities next season
Had the Blues not been faced with the two window transfer ban, Kenedy would have likely been sold permanently to another club. He now gets a life-line and can potentially become a first-team regular at Stamford Bridge. It remains to be seen if Willian and Pedro will be able to maintain a high level considering that they are now both in the latter years of their career. The youngster could potentially usurp one of the duo in the club’s pecking order.
