Chelsea ‘Set to Complete’ £51.4m Estevao Willian Signing

Chelsea are already making moves for the summer transfer window with youngster Estevao coming into the club’s ranks

Chelsea are already making their move to strengthen the club’s future ahead of the summer transfer window – with reports suggesting the west London club have reached a verbal agreement with Palmeiras to sign youngster Estevao Willian for a fee that could reach £51.4million.

Chelsea have already secured many of their current crop of players on long-term contracts; with Cole Palmer, Romeo Lavia, Mało Gusto, Noni Madueke, Moises Caicedo and Mykhailo Mudryk amongst the stars with contracts until at least 2030 – with Enzo Fernandez on a deal that sees him at Stamford Bridge until 2032.

Their amortisation tactic hasn’t quite paid off over the past two seasons, though a recent revival could even see them come fifth against all the odds in the Premier League should they beat Bournemouth and Tottenham lose to Sheffield United; with European football all but guaranteed. And their long-list of stars at the club on six-plus-year contracts is set to be extended with the signing of Estevao set to go through in the summer after his rapid rise from the youth ranks in Brazil.

Estevao: Chelsea Transfer Latest

Estevao Willian is the latest of Chelsea’s young signings

The report from The Athletic states that Chelsea have reached a verbal agreement for Estevao, which will see them pay €34million up front (£29.2million), before another €23m (£19.7m) in ‘performance-based incentives’ – both at Palmeiras and at Stamford Bridge.

Estevao will move to the Blues in 2025 once he turns 18, making it 11 months at Palmeiras before he flies over the Atlantic to link up with his new team-mates; a superb deal given that he would likely struggle for game time regardless of age status if he was to move to Chelsea immediately.

Palmeiras are one of Brazil’s biggest talent factories, evidenced by their bringing through of soon-to-be Real Madrid star Endrick, who broke through the ranks at the Sao Paolo-based outfit 2022 before Real administered a deal for him before the turn of the year. Endrick is a year older and moves to the Spanish champions in the summer.

Estevao has reportedly been followed by Chelsea for a number of years, and with the club seeing him to be on a similar level of talent to Endrick, it is certainly a signing to watch in the coming years.

Estevao Will Have Competition at Chelsea When He Joins

The Blues have a glut of young stars

Chelsea’s current crop of wingers includes Palmer, Mudryk, Madueke and Sterling and so it is hard to envisage where he would fit in, other than a move away for Sterling who is much older than the other trio.

Palmer is a player that Chelsea categorically won’t be dropping after he won the Premier League Young Player of the Season award, and Madueke and Mudryk are works in progress who have, on the whole, improved this summer.

Sterling seems the most likely but as an experienced Premier League winner and England international, his experience could be vital for the Blues as their rebuild continues to take hold.

Estevao will have another season of Brazilian football to his name, which will benefit him massively, but game time at Stamford Bridge could be a long time in the making if Madueke and Mudryk endure their breakthrough seasons in 2024/25.