Photo by Chris Lee - Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Photo by Chris Lee - Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Estevao is a Chelsea fan favourite. For as long as the Brazilian’s game time is limited, the more Chelsea fans will push for him to start. Now, Estevao has admitted there is something he is struggling with.
Xabi Alonso has been in charge for six games in all competitions now, with Friday night’s outing against Brentford the seventh and final outing before the extended international break. Four wins, one defeat.
But Estevao has started only two of those six, both coming in the Carabao Cup. In the latest outing, he was hooked at half-time. Losing 2-0, Chelsea eventually came back to win 6-3 with Estevao watching on.
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Estevao admits he is struggling with one thing at Chelsea
Reports say Estevao is worried about his game time and does not want to have to change his position to a wing-back. Alonso’s 3-4-2-1 system does not incorporate space for wingers, but full-backs instead.
Estevao Willian's minutes
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There is real concern regarding Estevao’s future, who was recently voted the second-best teen in football behind only Lamine Yamal. But according to the player himself, he is struggling with something else.
Speaking to Footballer Fits, the £29m signing from Brazilian side Palmeiras named the thing he has found most difficult since moving to Stamford Bridge. It’s not the injuries, or his lack of game time under Alonso.
“It’s a privilege today to be living in London, playing for Chelsea, which is one of the biggest clubs in the world. Of course not every adaptation is easy because here I had a lot of difficulty with the cold.
“It is very intense; I had never been so cold in my life, but these are adaptable things that today I can have many things in my favour. So there were more positive things than negative,” Estevao said in an interview.
Which clubs are likely to be keeping tabs on Estevao’s situation?
If Estevao does become available – which feels unlikely – there will be a raft of suitors after his signature. As things stand, Liverpool and Barcelona have been loosely linked with signing the Brazil international.
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If clubs were to stump up the necessary cash to sign Estevao, reports say Chelsea want £103m for the wide man. It would make Estevao the second most expensive sale in Chelsea’s history, behind Enzo Fernandez.
Between now and the January window, it will be interesting to see if Estevao is afforded the game time he believes he deserves. Alonso, though, is not against offloading a player if it’s what he feels he has to do.