Future Chelsea star Estêvão matches Neymar record as hype continues to grow | OneFootball

Estêvão Willian is already joining Chelsea this summer, but the 17-year-old is continuing to excel out in Brazil.

The wonder-kid has long drawn comparisons with Neymar, but now he is poised to start surpassing records set by Brazil’s all-time top goalscorer.

Chelsea agreed a deal to sign Estêvão last June for an initial £28 million fee. This substantial fee has the potential to rise north of £50 million if all of the add-on clauses are met. Despite the deal being agreed last summer, the forward will not join up with Chelsea until this July. This will follow the Club World Cup, after he has turned 18.

The attacker is part of a Palmeiras side that has produced a number of top talents over the last few years. Real Madrid splashed €47.5 million on Endrick, Man City have invested £29.5 million in Vitor Reis, and a number of other players have joined top European clubs. However, even amongst these other elite talents, Estêvão stands out as the most promising youngster.

Estêvão hails from the state of São Paulo just like Neymar and comparisons between the two were inevitable. After scoring twice this weekend, the 17-year-old has now tallied 30 combined goals and assists before turning 18. He is the first Brazilian to achieve this feat since Neymar did back in 2010. There is still seven weeks until Estêvão’s birthday. Given his fine form, the forward will surely surpass the record of Brazil’s number ten.

Unfortunately, Palmeiras are not scheduled to play Santos until after the Club World Cup. This means there will be no face off between Estêvão and Neymar, because both will have left their clubs prior to this date.

Despite this, Estêvão will still have the opportunity to face off against one of his idols in the summer. Thanks to their 2021 Copa Libertadores triumph, Palmeiras have qualified for the new-look Club World Cup. The team with the most Brazilian titles have been drawn into a group with Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami.

Estêvão has earned the nickname Messinho (or little Messi) and has named the Argentine as his hero. Now, he is set to meet the eight-time Ballon D’Or winner out on the pitch. This summer their teams will clash in the Club World Cup. The match will be the final group game, and could also be Estêvão’s final appearance for Palmeiras if they are eliminated at that stage.

Courtesy of his impressive form at such a tender age, Estêvão will arrive at Stamford Bridge with lofty expectations. The youngster has already become key for one of Brazil’s biggest clubs and appeared four times for the national team. Despite that, there is still no guarantee of success for Estêvão at Chelsea.

There will be a distinct improvement in the quality of the opposition that he will face. This, coupled with the cultural differences, will make it challenging for Estêvão to adjust to life in the Premier League. The wonder-kid certainly has the potential, but we will have to wait and see if he fulfils it.