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WHAT HAPPENED?
Brazilian forward Estêvão Willian, also known as Estêvão, has revealed he is “very anxious” to join Chelsea this summer. The Blues agreed a deal with Palmeiras last year for the 17-year-old, which could potentially be worth up to £51.4m. Estêvão, who turns 18 in April, is regarded as one of the biggest talents in South America and has already broken records set by Neymar in the Brazilian league.
Estêvão has been preparing for his move to Chelsea by seeking advice from his Brazilian teammates who play in the Premier League. He mentioned specifically getting tips from Savinho of Manchester City and Murillo of Nottingham Forest about life in England and the Premier League.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Chelsea view Estêvão as a generational talent, and the attacker is expected to join the first-team squad to compete for minutes after the Club World Cup. Estêvão is already a full Brazil international, having made his debut in September and earning four caps so far. He has scored five goals in 13 appearances for Palmeiras this year in the Campeonato Paulista. Last season, he scored 19 goals and got 13 assists in 50 matches. The last big talent coming from Palmeiras, Endrick joined Real Madrid with 4 goals and 2 assists in 22 matches.
The value of Estêvão has reportedly doubled over the past six months, from €30m to €60m, making Chelsea’s deal look even more promising. World Cup-winning midfielder Denilson has praised Estêvão, stating that his style will adapt well to English football, describing him as intelligent, a great dribbler, and capable of scoring goals.
AND WHAT’S MORE…
Estêvão isn’t the only exciting South American talent joining Chelsea this summer. Kendry Paez is also set to join the club, while Andrey Santos will return from his successful loan spell at Santos. Chelsea currently sit in fourth place in the Premier League, close to the top-three position occupied by Nottingham Forest City, while Arsenal sit comfortably in second, and Liverpool leads the Premier League with 12 points advantage.
WHAT NEXT?
Estêvão is expected to continue playing for Palmeiras until the summer, including participating in the upcoming Club World Cup in the United States. He will officially join Chelsea after turning 18 and once the transfer window opens. Chelsea will need to provide the right environment for Estêvão to thrive without putting too much pressure on the young talent. The club and fans alike will be eager to see how the Brazilian wonderkid adapts to the Premier League and contributes to the team’s performance in the 2025/26 season.
