€65 million-rated star completes Chelsea medical: Reports
Palmeiras wonderkid Willian Estevao has reportedly completed his medical tests ahead of a move to Chelsea, according to Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano. The Blues have had a reported bid of €40 million plus €25 million in add-ons accepted by the Brazilian giants, with confirmation of the deal expected to come soon.
The youngster burst onto the scene at the FIFA Under-17 World Cup held in Indonesia in late 2023. He bagged three goals and three assists in five games, leading his side to the quarter-finals of the tournament.
Due to the striking resemblance between his playing style and that of Argentine superstar Lionel Messi, Estevao has been nicknamed "Messinho" (Little Messi).
After his impressive World Cup campaign, he earned himself a call-up to Palmeiras' first team at the start of 2024. He has made 21 senior appearances so far, bagging three goals and three assists in the process.
Estevao also piqued the interest of Chelsea, who have implemented an aggressive transfer market strategy focused on South American talent over the last few transfer windows. The likes of Angelo, Deivid Washington, Andrey Santos and Kendry Paez (set to join in 2025), among others, have been brought in as players with incredible potential.
For the upcoming window, the Blues are seemingly set to sign Estevao, but have also made significant headway into the signing of Pedro Lima from Sport Recife. Lima is reportedly set to join Ligue 1 side Strasbourg, which is owned by the same consortium (BlueCo) that owns Chelsea.
The addition of Estevao would be a solid move in the Blues' attempt to build a future-proof squad for new manager Enzo Maresca.
How will Estevao Willian fit into Enzo Maresca's squad at Chelsea?
Estevao Willian is undoubtedly one of the most talented South American youngsters in world football at the moment. However, it seems like there is a long while to go for him to become a regular feature in Enzo Maresca's squad at Chelsea.
For the 2023-24 season, the Blues will have a log-jam on the right-wing, which is Estevao's primary position. Noni Madueke and Cole Palmer will be joined by some impressive young talents who will return after enjoying succesful loan spells in the past campaign.
Jamaican Omari Hutchinson had 17 goal contributions in 50 games (11 goals, six assists) in 2023-24, helping Ipswich Town gain promotion to the Premier League. Angelo made 25 appearances (15 starts) for Strasbourg last season, notching up four assists in the process.
If Chelsea do not clear their logjam on the right flank, it could be really difficult for Estevao to slot directly into their senior team. Therefore, despite his huge transfer fee, he could be sent out on loan or be assigned to the Under-21 side to gain some valuable experience in Premier League 2.