Chelsea walk away from £15m deal to sign Brazilian wonderkid: Reports
Chelsea are reportedly set to walk away from signing Gabriel Mec. They were heavily linked with the Brazilian wonderkid and were close to signing him but have now backed out.
Mec is an attacking midfielder who plays for Brazilian side Gremio's U20 side. The 16-year-old has impressed throughout his youth-level career so far, scoring two goals in 11 games in the 2023-24 season. His performances saw him being linked with a number of big clubs, including Chelsea.
The Blues have already signed some Brazilian wonderkids in recent years like Estevao Willian and Kendry Parez. They were also set to sign Mec for a reported fee of £15 million, including add-ons, in the summer. However, as per Globo (via Chelsea.news), they will now back out of the deal.
The west London side have some concerns regarding Mec's recent performances. They want to assess his future performances and monitor him further before making a final decision on signing him.
Chelsea's Brazilian wonderkid names Lionel Messi as his inspiration
The Blues have signed Palmeiras wonderkid Estevao Willian for a reported transfer fee that could go up to £51 million. He will join Chelsea next summer after he turns 18 in April 2025. Willian is highly rated and has also been dubbed 'Little Messi' or 'Messinho' at times.
In a recent interview with The Guardian, he spoke about how Lionel Messi is his inspiration but he also admires Neymar Jr. and Cristiano Ronaldo. He said:
“I like Neymar a lot too, Cristiano Ronaldo. But my reference is [Lionel] Messi for everything he’s done for football. The way he plays and what he does off the pitch is a guy I always have to look up to. And, of course, for me being left-footed like him favours as well.
“Some people are born with talent, others have to work hard. Good examples are Messi and Ronaldo. Messi has the talent, Ronaldo the effort. I look for both. Talent and dedication. Today in football you have to dedicate yourself, you have to keep to a schedule, train, travel, take care of yourself. You have to give up a lot. Without dedication you can’t get anywhere.”
Estevao came through Palmeiras' academy and has made 38 senior appearances for them, scoring 11 goals and providing eight assists. His performances have also seen him earn two caps for the senior Brazil national team.