Estevao Willian, a 17-year-old prodigy from Palmeiras, is close to joining Chelsea, despite strong opposition from European heavyweights Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Bayern. We at The Football Yeller are here to cover Is Chelsea Signing the Next Messi? The best thing Chelsea has done this season is finish in sixth place; otherwise, they have not had the finest season.
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The Blues are supposedly in the final stages of discussing the transfer fee with Palmeiras, having struck a verbal agreement with the player known as “Messinho” due to his style of play that is like to that of Lionel Messi.
The player’s desire to live in London and Cury’s close relationship with the English team are reasons why Willian’s agent, Andre Cury, is convinced that his client would sign with Chelsea rather than Barcelona. Less favourable conditions involving another client, Vitor Roque, in Barcelona, have influenced the agent’s viewpoint.
With the entire transaction estimated to be in the neighbourhood of £52 million, Palmeiras is demanding a minimum upfront payment of £26 million for the young forward. The Brazilian club is attempting to guarantee that they receive the whole transfer price, maybe with performance bonuses included in the ongoing negotiations over the payment structure.
Todd Boehly and the BlueCo consortium, who have made significant investments in young talent over the last two years, are the owners of Chelsea, and their pursuit of Willian fits nicely with their plan. Although he can play either side or in the middle, Estevao is mostly a right winger.
The 16-year-old, who made his senior debut for Palmeiras against Cruzeiro in December 2023, has received plaudits for his flair and dribbling abilities. Estevao would do most of his talking on the pitch, and Palmeiras would win while Cruzeiro lost, despite the chaos all around him.
Messinho was used to hoarding cutlery by the time he was fifteen. He assisted the Verdao young teams in winning many titles in various age groups during the 2022 campaign, including the Copa do Brasil Sub-17, Campeonato Paulista Sub-15, Campeonato Paulista Sub-17, and Campeonato Brasileiro Sub-17.
In the championship game against rivals Sao Paulo, a 16-year-old Estevao scored a hat-trick to give Palmeiras a 3-0 victory. It was in the latter tournament that he came into his own one year later. He scored his first goal from midfield with a low drive into the bottom corner.
Later on, he completed a brace with a deft finish inside the area. His third goal came from the penalty spot in stoppage time. One may not be surprised to learn that Estevao, the quintessential devious Brazilian winger, has exceptional dribbling skills. Read Is Chelsea Signing the Next Messi? till the end.
It is easy to see why some have drawn a connection between “Messinho” and the great Messi, even if such a comparison is often clumsy and misplaced. They both have the skill of having the ball stuck to their feet as they effortlessly slip past opponents.
Naturally, Estevao’s style of play benefits from his amazing footwork and arsenal of tricks, but he can also get away with just a basic body fake to gain space. Like his teammate Endrick, Estevao is close to agreeing to a transfer abroad before turning 18, even though he cannot leave Brazil until April 2025.
Estevao Willian’s possible transfer to Chelsea is evidence of their capacity to draw in the brightest young players in the globe and their long-term goals. He may be the next major star to come out of Chelsea’s youth system, following in the footsteps of legendary figures like John Terry, Frank Lampard, and Cole Palmer, given the club’s history of fostering and developing young players.
Chelsea’s chances of signing one of Brazil’s most intriguing prospects are now favourable, enhancing their standing as a serious contender in the years to come.
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