Chelsea have received a timely boost regarding the fitness of Estevao Willian, with the club giving an optimistic return timeline.
Estevao Willian’s momentum was cruelly halted following a severe grade-four hamstring tear suffered against Manchester United, a devastating setback that crushed his 2026 World Cup dreams with Brazil.
Of course, missing the tournament in North America is a bitter pill to swallow for the 18-year-old, but his rehabilitation has progressed remarkably well after a brief mental reset back in his homeland.
And due to various surprise World Cup omissions, Estevao will be joined by Cole Palmer, Levi Colwill, Trevoh Chalobah, Andrey Santos, and Joao Pedro this summer.
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Chelsea expect Estevao to be back for early pre-season
The BBC are reporting that Chelsea are hopeful Estevao will be fit enough to return early in pre-season.
Positive work has been done behind the scenes with Estevao having been granted over three weeks of leave to do part of his rehabilitation in Brazil before returning to Chelsea.
Chelsea’s highly anticipated 2026 pre-season tour sees them heading east to the APAC region for the first time this decade.
Xabi Alonso’s squad will play five fixtures across July and August, starting with clashes against Western Sydney Wanderers and Tottenham in Australia, before facing Juventus in Hong Kong, AC Milan in Jakarta, and rounding off against Johor Darul Ta’zim in Malaysia.
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Estevao Willian’s targets for next season at Chelsea
Heading into his second year at Stamford Bridge, Estevao Willian will have clear, ambitious targets to elevate his game under Xabi Alonso.
After a promising debut campaign yielding eight goals across all competitions, the 19-year-old’s primary objective is to lock down a permanent, regular starting spot in Chelsea’s highly competitive frontline.
Additionally, the Brazilian has to be eyeing a double-digit goal tally in the Premier League, as well as working his way back into the national team fold.
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