Estevao Willian is playing his final games as a Palmeiras player at the Club World Cup before making his blockbuster move to Chelsea.
Last year, the Blues saw off interest from almost every elite club in Europe to secure the services of a player regarded as Brazil’s most promising talent since Neymar.
Chelsea paid an £29million which could eventually rise £57million – but it could all be worth every penny.
Having turned 18 in April, Estevao is now permitted to make his move to London this summer. Before that, he has been part of the Palmeiras side competing in the revamped Club World Cup – a competition also featuring his new club.
Palmerias qualified from Group A as group winners, setting up an all-Brazilian last 16 showdown on Saturday evening against Botafogo who finished runners up in Group B.
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Latet in the evening, Chelsea take on Benfica in their last 16 clash after finishing runners up in Group D behind Flamengo.
If both sides come through with wins tonight, their paths will cross in the next round.
Can Estevao Willian and Palmeiras play against Chelsea at Club World Cup?
Chelsea and Palmeiras will meet at the quarter-final stage of the Club World Cup if they come through their last 16 ties this evening.
With Estevao registered for the Palmeiras squad, there would be nothing to stop him from lining up against the players he will be playing alongside side as early as next month.
Estevao’s agent Andre Cury said in April: ‘Yes, he’s arriving [at Chelsea] after the Club World Cup. He’s a world-class player. Very good. A guy who’s going to make history here.’
Will Estevao Willian play for Chelsea next season?
New signings Liam Delap, Mamadou Sarr and Dario Essugo are in the Chelsea squad for the Club World Cup and will be joined by Estevao later in the summer when pre-season gets started.
Chelsea routinely send their young stars out on loan, with Estevao’s countryman Andrey Santos enjoying a superb campaign with Strasbourg last season. But the Brazil international is expected to be part of Enzo Maresca’s first-team squad heading into the 2025-26 campaign.
Club World Cup Round-by-round prize money breakdown
On top of a participation fee, clubs will receive prize money as follows:
- Group Stages: £1.5m for a win and £800,000 for a draw
- Round of 16: £5.8m
- Quarter-Final: £10.1m
- Semi-Final: £16.2m
- Runners-up: £23.2m
- Winner: £30.0m
Chelsea must not put pressure on Estevao Willian
Estevao will be joined by another prodigious South American talent at Chelsea in Ecuador’s Kendy Paez – although there are suggestions he may be shipped out to Strasbourg shortly after he touches down in London.
Former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel sees huge potential in both players who must be aware of the club’s need to win trophies ‘from the word go’.
‘The important thing is to give them time, we shouldn’t put pressure on them,’ Mikel told Metro.
‘Let them come into the club, bed them into the system and the way Maresca wants to play. There is always pressure at Chelsea, we win trophies. So they have to know that from the word go. But they are young players so you have to find a way to manage it.
‘They will come good. If we can find a way to get the best out of them. If it happens straight away, fantastic, we are all happy. What I have seen from both of them, they are so exciting.’
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