Chelsea is still in talks with Palmeiras over Brazilian talent Estevao Willian.
- Winger Estevao Willian made his senior debut for Palmeiras in December
- He has a £51.5m release clause which is unlikely to be reached by suitors
Chelsea are still in talks with Palmeiras over 16-year-old Estevao Willian, dubbed “Messinho.”
The winger has a £51.5 million release clause that is unlikely to be met by suitors such as Barcelona.
In his youth, the South American talent got the nickname ‘Messinho’ for his technical resemblance to the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, and he became the youngest Brazilian player to be sponsored by Nike in 2018 at the age of ten.
Estevao made his senior debut for Palmeiras in December, making him the club’s fourth-youngest player.
Despite being so young in his career, the Brazil youth international is already attracting attention from European clubs.
According to the Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, Estevao is set on joining Barcelona whenever FIFA transfer laws allow him to leave South America in the summer of 2025.
Barcelona is thought to have been keeping a close eye on Estevao’s progress for at least a year, with the club’s sports director Deco allegedly a big fan of the young talent.
Chelsea is still in talks with Palmeiras over Brazilian talent Estevao Willian.
Estevao is eager to follow in Messi’s footsteps in Catalonia, characterising Barcelona as his “dream move,” with Manchester United, Chelsea, and Paris Saint-Germain all apparently interested in signing the teenager.
The 16-year-old was chosen to represent Brazil at the U-17 World Cup in Indonesia last year.
Estevao appeared in all five of Brazil’s games, including a 2-1 triumph over England in the group stage, which included Arsenal youngster Ethan Nwaneri.
