Estevao will play in the number 10 role for Chelsea in the future, Maresca says | OneFootball

Chelsea claimed a resounding 5-1 win over Ajax in the Champions League at Stamford Bridge. The young Blues took advantage of a red card to run riot in West London.

Chelsea became the first side to have three teenagers score for them in the Champions League, as Tyrique George, Marc Guiu, and Estevao Willian got on the score sheet.

Estevao was devastating for Chelsea, recording the most touches in the opposition box (14), the most crosses (10), the most shots (8), and the most shots on target (3).

Estevao is the youngest player to score for Chelsea in the Champions League (18 years, 181 days).

He is also the third-youngest penalty scorer in the competition behind Bojan Krkic (18y 90d for Barcelona in 2008) and Lamine Yamal (18y 100d for Barcelona on Tuesday).

However, while he dazzled on both the left and right flanks, Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca believes his future may lie elsewhere.

Maresca said (via ESPN), “I think in the Premier League, he needs a little more time. It’s very similar to Cole Palmer.

“I had him same age with City’s Under-23s. Cole played wide, and now he’s inside. Now Estevao plays wide, but in the future I think he’s more of an inside player.

“I feel very lucky to be his manager because it’s exciting, and you can enjoy.

“We said many times, I think the fans at the end, they paid the tickets to see players like Cole, like Estevao, this kind of player.

“So it’s nice that we can have players like Estevao, like Cole, like them.”

Estevao himself has spoken of how he’d love to play in the number 10 position, and it will be interesting to see him taking on that massive role.

It remains to be seen how Maresca can fit him into the position, given that Palmer is going nowhere.