Estevao Willian
Chelsea’s recent acquisition, Estevao, has quickly made an impression on the European stage following his £29 million move from Palmeiras. The young Brazilian dazzled spectators during Chelsea’s match against Ajax, consistently lifting fans from their seats with his dynamic play. Estevao’s performance was highlighted by a goal from 12 yards, marking his first on the European stage.
Maresca said: “It’s exciting to see him. The good thing about Estevao, sometimes with young players we are worried, because they have one good game and they think they are already [at the] top. Estevao, he’s playing well but he’s polite, he’s humble, he wants to learn. I think his family are also doing a big job there, so we are very happy not only with the way he’s performing. I think he’s more [of a] winger, but he’s going to finish playing inside the pitch, in the pockets. For me, it’s very, very similar to Cole [Palmer]. I had Cole at the same age as Estevao at [Manchester] City Under-23 and they are very similar. And Estevao, they are quite similar, now he’s playing wide but in the future I think he’s more of an inside player.”
Maresca further elaborated: “With young players, most of the time you are a little bit worried because they play one game, two games, good game, they score and they think that they are already top players. The good thing about Estevao is that we don’t need to be worried about that because he’s very humble, he’s very polite, he wants to work hard. He has a fantastic family, they are very close to him. Now he’s going to play one game, two games, score and he’s already thinking that he knows how good he is. We said many times, I think the fans at the end, they paid the tickets to see players like Cole [Palmer], like Estevao, this kind of player.”
Estevao’s performance has not only impressed the Chelsea faithful but also drawn comparisons to Cole Palmer, a player Maresca previously coached at Manchester City’s Under-23 team. Maresca highlighted Estevao’s potential to transition from a wide position to playing inside the pitch, similar to Palmer’s development.
The Chelsea manager emphasized Estevao’s humility and eagerness to learn, traits that are often rare in young talents who experience early success. Estevao’s family was also credited for playing a crucial role in maintaining his grounded nature. The young Brazilian’s ability to excite fans and draw comparisons to established players like Neymar has made him a player to watch in Chelsea’s future fixtures.
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