Three months into the season, it’s difficult to find a fault with Estevao Willian, but Chelsea aren’t looking to rest on their laurels.
The Blues have been taking a more strategic approach to running the club under BlueCo. While part of that is signing young stars like Estevao, development is just as important as recruitment.
Estevao is matching pace with Pele for Brazil, but his club displays have been equally mesmerising.
He is clearly on a path to being one of Chelsea’s star players for years to come, but there is a plan in place for the 18-year-old that could elevate his importance even further.
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Chelsea want to change Estevao’s position
Even when Estevao first arrived at Stamford Bridge, there was talk of him being capable of playing centrally. Estevao could easily become Chelsea’s all-time best right-winger, but the club have a different future in mind.
Chelsea are internally predicting Estevao becoming a top 10 player in the near future, which may be why they want to bring him into a more pivotal area.
As Matt Law recently revealed: “The view in the club is very much in the next two years he will move from being a right winger to a number 10. They’re not concerned about where that leaves them with Cole and how to fit it all in at all.
“They seem to have a plan that they’re not telling me about, but they really do properly inside the club believe this lad’s a number 10. They don’t for one minute think out on the right is his full-time position.”
Estevao has all the qualities required of a world-class winger, but his eye for goal and playmaking are tempting the Blues to bring him more into the action — similar to what has happened with Cole Palmer.
Cole Palmer and Estevao could be at odds
While the prospect of seeing Estevao as the focal point of the Chelsea attack is certainly exciting, it does raise a logistics issue. Palmer is Chelsea’s number 10 and the most dangerous attacking weapon in Maresca’s arsenal.
As phenomenal as Estevao has been, he hasn’t proven he can reach the kind of output Palmer is capable of. Very few can.
Who will have the better career at Chelsea?
The Brazilian has a bright future at Stamford Bridge, but so does Palmer. Law mentions a plan Chelsea might have for the pair, which would surely be a change in formation.
For the time being, there’s no reason not to deploy Estevao out on the right. He’s doing a fantastic job there.
As for what will change in the future, we’ll have to wait and see.