Chelsea are starting to see the fruits of their switch technique in going after younger, gifted people in latest seasons, with a youthful Blues facet difficult for a spot in subsequent season’s Champions League.
Whereas some signings have didn’t work out, equivalent to Mykhalo Mudryk’s big-money transfer to Stamford Bridge, others, like Cole Palmer , have proved a masterstroke. The Chelsea hierarchy will nonetheless be hopeful many extra can match the potential proven in glimpses, vindicating the membership’s technique out there.
One, although, has now equalled a file first set by Neymar 15 years in the past – and he hasn’t even performed a minute for Chelsea but.
Chelsea have already signed a participant who has matched Neymar’s file
Chelsea have already signed Estevao Willian (Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Neymar has just lately returned to his boyhood facet Santos following a troublesome interval in Saudi Arabia affected by accidents, however stays arguably among the finest gamers on this planet on his day. In his early years in Brazil , he rightly earned loads of hype for his performances, with Barcelona ultimately paying £71.5m to signal him in 2013.
And whereas numerous gifted people have since emerged from Brazil within the meantime, with Vinicius Jr , Rodrygo, Endrick all shifting to Europe at an early age, too, none have fairly managed to match Neymar’s file of 30 aim involvements earlier than their 18th birthday. That’s, till now.
Estevao has made 4 appearances for the Brazil nationwide staff (Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Chelsea agreed a deal value £47m with Palmeiras for Estevao Willian in June 2024, agreeing for the teen to maneuver to the UK at the beginning of the 2025/26 season on July 1 when he has lastly turned 18 and performed for the Brazilian facet within the Membership World Cup this summer time.
And it looks like the Blues may have the subsequent famous person on their fingers, following his equalling of Neymar’s 15-year file. After scoring twice towards Sao Bernardo within the Sao Paulo state championship on the weekend, Estevao Willian registered his twenty ninth and thirtieth aim involvement in Palmeiras’ first staff.
In whole, the left-footed right-winger has bagged 20 targets and layed on 10 assists in simply 57 video games of his skilled profession – and he nonetheless has loads of time so as to add to these tallies contemplating he does not flip 18 till April 24.
Estevao is not any stranger to success, both, having already lifted Brazil’s Serie A title and Sao Paulo state championship in his fledgling profession. Certainly, he has even gained the Bola de Ouro, awarded to Serie A’s greatest participant that yr, one thing Neymar additionally achieved in 2011.
Neymar set the file 15 years in the past (Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
These performances have seen him earn common call-ups to the Brazil nationwide staff, too, with Estevao having already made 4 appearances.
In FourFourTwo ‘s view, there’s potential that Estevao walks straight into the Chelsea first staff subsequent season. The most effective expertise from Brazil can become world beaters, and Chelsea will possible present him with loads of opportunitites to develop and excel within the coming years.
