Chelsea opposed the publishing of a great wing player in the January transfer window – and there is perhaps a good reason why.
The blues quietly defeated the competition of a large number of Premier League rivals when they were a £ 29 million ADD-ONS deal for Brazilian Whizilian Whizz-Kind Estêvão Willian last summer. Estêvão, 17, will arrive at Stamford Bridge this summer, after having spent another year in Palmeiras who believe they have a generation talent in their hands.
It might be more about the future than on immediate results, but you can expect to hear much more about Estêvão than when he initially drew almost under the radar. The Premier League Big Guns – including people like Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United – explored him all but Chelsea got the deal.
And that is perhaps what helped to shape Chelsea's thinking in the winter market, because they were interested in the Argentina wing player Alejandro Garnaacho from United, but ultimately not striving for it.
They are also ready to be Mykhailo Mudryk without a winger, who is insisting that he will erase his name despite registering a positive drug test. They lent Joao Felix to AC Milan and according to their standards, Chelsea was quiet in the window, but it is because they believe in a new wave of young talent that comes through.
The core of this is Estêvão – who does not even turn 18 until April 24 – who has already won four senior caps for Brazil. In Brazil, many believe that Estêvão could be even better than Real Madrid -Superster Endrick who left Palmeiras for the Spanish giants in 2024 for about twice the price.
Estêvão is left-feet, largely plays on the right for Palmeiras, but in his youth career he played inside and also central. He is known for his dribbling in small spaces and to have a very early -ripe attitude, but is adult because he has developed so quickly.
Estêvão was considered the best player in Palmeiras last year and took his club to second place and he was one of the top scorers in the competition without being ahead. He won prizes for the breakthrough player of Brazil and the best striker.
Without him, many in Brazil feel that Palmeiras would be fifth, his interest was for the team. The biggest disadvantage is his physicality, because he is very skinny and incredibly young to switch to another culture.
But Estêvão has revealed that he spoke with Thiago Silva before he made the switch and exchanged messages with Cole Palmer and Reece James on social media. Chelsea was able to sell him a vision at a club that embraces young players and a manager who wants to give young people a chance.
It is still to be seen whether Estêvão can immediately enter from next season, but Chelsea is building a team full of potential. And the core of that process is a trip to South America, which they believe will bring rich rewards in the long term.