Chelsea can use Leeds' interest in Kenedy to help in their transfer pursuit of Brazilian compatriot Raphinha who could be the player to solve some of the Blues' current attacking woes.
Kenedy, 25, returned to his parent club earlier this month as the search for Ben Chilwell's temporary replacement looks to have collapsed, with Emerson Palmieri no closer to re-joining the squad, football.london understands.
“We cannot say Kenedy is the solution. He can be the solution but the situation has not changed. We have long-term injuries at wing-back and we suffered a lot," manager Thomas Tuchel clarified earlier this month.
"We suffered in midfield from Covid and injuries and now our midfielders are more or less coming back, we suffer a lot with our central defenders.
"Nothing has changed but it needs to make sense, to be possible, make sense on a high level and also in the quality, personality. We have a look into the market, nothing has changed. We have all options, also the option to say no.”
His view may have changed now though with no new signing looking closer to coming to fruition with the window slamming shut on Monday but that hasn't changed Kenedy's predicament going into the final knockings.
Despite the possibilities of another loan deal for the former Flamengo loanee, he now looks to be the only feasible back-up option alongside youngster Lewis Hall to help share Marcos Alonso's burden going forward for the remainder of the season at left-wing-back.
Therefore, it's no surprise to see Leeds have a late proposal turned down by the Chelsea hierarchy who cannot afford to let go of the forgotten man.
As per The Telegraph's Mike McGrath: "Leeds enquired about Chelsea forward Kenedy but the deal not progressed ahead of deadline. They [Leeds] are in market for a No2 goalkeeper ahead of deadline day."
So with the Kenedy to Leeds deal looking dead for this month, could the Elland Road club return in the summer for perhaps a permanent move?
If this was to be the case, then the west Londoners could potentially take advantage of the Raphinha situation with Thiago Silva already delivering the perfect verdict as to why the Leeds talismanic figure is the guy to solve the attacking woes in SW6.
The Blues have been linked with the Brazilian in the past, with the winger remaining a name closely associated with a switch to Stamford Bridge. Elsewhere, Premier League rivals Liverpool have been marked as potential suitors but appear to have gone down a different route with the signing of Luis Diaz.
That is not where the interest ends though, as West Ham United have reportedly made a ‘late attempt’ for Raphinha according to transfer expert Gianluigi Longari.
But the same journalist has also said as per the Daily Mail that with the 25-year-old unlikely to leave during the season, Tuchel will look to sign Raphinha in the summer transfer window instead at the expense of a player like Christian Pulisic or one of the other attackers who could seek an exit come the end of the current campaign.
With Kenedy valued at a mere £6.30million by transfermarkt coupled with Raphinha's £36m valuation, there could be a potential bargain to be had there if Marina Granovskaia was to opt for Silva's international compatriot instead of club legend Eden Hazard who is set to leave Real Madrid in the summer.
Silva and Raphinha have been playing together during this Premier League break with Brazil, as the South American giants suffered a minor blow with the latest 1-1 Ecuador draw and their ever-blossoming relationship could work to Chelsea's advantage, alongside Leeds' admiration of Kenedy.
