Chelsea are keeping a close eye on one particular club
Estevao of Chelsea celebrates his team's second goal, an own goal scored by Hakeem Odoffin of Luton Town during the Carabao Cup Second Round match between Chelsea and Luton Town at Stamford Bridge
Chelsea have high hopes for Estevao(Image: Getty)
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Chelsea have reportedly pointed their radar at one particular club as they look to unearth the next Brazilian superstar.
The Blues, along with a number of other Premier League clubs, are keeping a close eye on the highly-rated Palmeiras academy, which boasts an enviable reputation for churning out talented youngsters. Chelsea are paying particular attention to the Sao Paulo club's under-15 side, according to Sport Witness , with scouts travelling to South America to watch matches in person.
It is unclear whether the Blues have established or plan to establish a formal partnership with Palmeiras, as they do with other sides. Given the rules regarding international transfers, Chelsea are said to be playing the long game, as they cannot simply pluck a 15-year-old from a foreign club and will have to wait until players turn 18 before they can move to England.
Chelsea hope the approach will help them land the 'next' Estevao Willian, the exciting Brazilian who signed from Palmeiras as a 17-year-old in 2024 before his formal arrival the following year. Other players to come through the Palmeiras youth ranks include former Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus, now at Barcelona, Real Madrid's Endrick and Vitor Reis of Manchester City.
That reputation has led clubs like Chelsea and Manchester United, who have adopted a similar approach, to try to get ahead of the game before the next hot prospect becomes more widely known.
As for Estevao - possibly not helped by regular managerial changes - he has struggled for regular game time, although Xabi Alonso insists he remains an important part of his plans.
Estevao playing for Palmeiras
Estevao was produced by Palmeiras's talent factory(Image: Gaston Brito Miserocchi/Getty Images)
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The 19-year-old has made brief substitute appearances in two of Chelsea's three Premier League matches, coming close to earning a draw with champions Arsenal. He made 12 starts in the Premier League last season and scored eight goals in all competitions under Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior.
Alonso said: "Este is ready, he’s training well. [Against Arsenal] he had a very good impact, he has a great chance. So he's fully involved and with a very good attitude every day.
Xabi Alonso
Xabi Alonso insists Estevao is in his plans(Image: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC)
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"One hundred per cent [he has an important role], because of his potential, because he's so young, but he's in that process to adapt and to learn quickly. And the season is going to be long."
Asked whether he had discussed the situation with the teenager, the Chelsea boss added: "Private conversations should remain private. The players that have the desire and the hunger to prove and to show every day that they are up for the challenge, it's what we want to create here in the building."