Estevao Willian is counting down the days until he can wear a Chelsea shirt. The 17-year-old, who was signed from Palmeiras for up to £51.4 million last summer, says he is “even more excited” to join now that the club is back in the Champions League. The Brazilian forward is widely seen as South America’s next big star. He will join the Blues after his last season in Brazil.
Chelsea fans might see Estevao for the first time as soon as next week, when the team plays either Bayer Leverkusen or AC Milan in the preseason. The young star said in a short video he posted to Instagram:
“Man, I can’t wait, seriously, to wear a Chelsea jersey, to represent Chelsea, you know? Especially now that there’s the Champions League, there will be important championships, the Premier League. I can’t wait, I’m so excited.”
Estevao has Faced Chelsea Already
In 2023, Estevao signed with Chelsea, but he stayed with Palmeiras until he turned 18. He became known in Brazil for his flair, vision, and end product, scoring 27 goals in 83 games. He notably scored against the West London club in the quarterfinals of the Club World Cup, which the Blues won 2-1 over Palmeiras. He won the MVP award for that match, which was a symbolic goodbye to Brazilian football.
People at Stamford Bridge are very excited about his arrival. People close to the club think Estevao is a once-in-a-lifetime talent, but Chelsea are taking their time with his integration. The club is working to make things easier for him as he moves up to Premier League and European football because of the high transfer fee and expectations.
Chelsea keep signing young South American players, and Estevao is the latest to join the team, along with other Brazilians like Andrey Santos. If he does get to play against Leverkusen or Milan, it could be the start of something great, and the fans are just as excited as Estevao is right now.