Why Estevao chose Chelsea over Arsenal, Barcelona & Real Madrid revealed | OneFootball

Estevao Willian's agent Andre Cury revealed that Chelsea's willingness to let his client play in a central, attacking midfield role was a key factor behind the teenager's decision to join the Blues above a glut of other interested suitors.

The Brazilian forward, who was rapidly christened 'Messinho' - little Messi - due to his dribbling ability and left-footedness, agreed to join Chelsea last summer. The Palmeiras starlet won't be able to join up with his new club until after the upcoming Club World Cup as he is not yet 18.

Chelsea have made a habit of snapping up teenage talent from across the globe under the club's ambitious ownership. In recent weeks, the Blues outmanoeuvred Manchester United to secure the coveted signature of Sporting CP's Geovany Quenda.

The jostling queue of suitors trying to sign Estevao was even longer. Arsenal were tipped to be interested in the record-toppling Brazilian while both La Liga giants - Barcelona and Real Madrid - cast admiring glances his way.

Ultimately, Estevao plumped for a Chelsea side which had just finished sixth in the Premier League because of the positional freedom they were willing to afford him.

"It was the only club that saw us as No 10, to play in midfield," Estevao's agent Cury told O Globo. "I may be wrong, but we will have the opportunity. I think we will be right, so that was also something that weighed heavily."

Intriguingly, Estevao doesn't play as a 'No 10' - a central, attacking midfielder - for Palmeiras. When Abel Ferreira lines up with a system which incorporates a player in that position, he invariably opts for Brazil international Raphael Veiga.

Cury is undeterred, insisting that Estevao's best position is through the middle. "In my opinion, on my team he plays as a ten," the agent added. "They like to put him on the wing. I think it's too narrow for a player of that quality, I think that... like all players of that quality in the world, he's usually the No 10, so the No 10 plays inside."

Complicating matters even further is the undeniable fact that Chelsea's best player already occupies the No 10 spot. Cole Palmer is practically an ever-present for the Blues as the central hub of Enzo Maresca's 4-2-3-1. The England international was forced to sit out Chelsea's toothless defeat to Arsenal before the March international break with a minor injury - that was the first top-flight game Palmer had missed in 11 months.