Chelsea believe Estevao Willian is “special” and feel he can play on the wing and as a number ten according to Fabrizio Romano.
The Blues agreed a deal with Palmeiras this summer which could be worth up to £51.4m for the 17-year-old, who is regarded as one of the biggest talents in South America.
Estevao will link up with his new team-mates next summer when he turns 18 and there’s already a lot of excitement surrounding his arrival as he continues to impress.
Chelsea’s plan for Estevao
The Blues have increasingly turned to the South American market under the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital ownership as they look to discover the next big thing in football.
In Estevao and Kendry Paez it’s believed they have acquired two of South America’s biggest talents, who they hope will become future stars.
Estevao made his debut for Brazil in the recent international and has continued to impress for Palmeiras and the teenager has 11 goals and eight assists in 37 appearances.
Quite where Estevao will fit in at Chelsea remains to be seen given the plethora of attacking options already at the club, but Romano has provided an update on where the Blues see him playing.
“Estevao Willian can play on the wing and can play as a number ten, this is what Chelsea feel,” he told his YouTube channel.
“Estevao Willian is Special, this is what they think at Chelsea, and that’s why they invested important money in him.
“The value of the player is growing and they wait for him in 2025. They are closely monitoring all his performances.”
It’s unclear whether the precocious talent will go straight into the first team squad or if he will be loaned out to gain more experience.
Estevao is highly regarded in Brazil with many saying he’s the best Brazilian born player since Neymar which is quite some praise.
Obviously he’s got a long way to go in his development, but it looks like the Blues could have a serious talent on their hands.