Estevao's agent reveals why Barcelona missed out on Chelsea-bound record-breaker | OneFootball

Estevao's outspoken agent Andre Cury claimed that Barcelona and several other European clubs lost out to Chelsea in the race to snap up the Brazilian starlet because of the Premier League's superior spending power.

The Brazilian teenager was signed by Chelsea last year for a sum which could rise to £57.6m. As he doesn't turn 18 until Thursday, the earliest possible date for Estevao to officially join the Blues would have been this summer's transfer window.

Estevao has blossomed into one of the most potent forwards in South America since putting pen to paper on a Chelsea contract. The left-footed right winger boasted the highest combined tally of goals and assists across the entire Brazilian top flight last season.

Yet, Estevao's talent was evident before his breakthrough year. Reports at the time claimed that Chelsea fought off competition from some of Europe's elite, with the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid cited. Cury named Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich among "several clubs" who were interested in his client in an interview for AS.

But Chelsea, boosted by the Premier League's riches, were realistically the only candidates capable of completing a deal which Cury hailed as "the most expensive transfer in all of Latin America".

It's been all thumbs up for Estevao as of late / Daniel Apuy/GettyImages

"Negotiating is very difficult these days due to the [financial] fair play issue," Cury explained. "Those who don't have the money to invest want to do it to get immediate results. Imagine this: Chelsea signed Estevao a year ago; they've waited a year to be able to enjoy him now, in July."

AS' interviewer Eduardo Burgos Rodriguez specifically asked why no deal could be struck with Barcelona, who signed Neymar from Santos in a transfer also brokered by Cury. "There's no money to do this in Spain," the Brazilian agent bluntly replied. "They can't wait."

Chelsea will only be able to reap the rewards of winning the race for Estevao's services after the a new tournament this summer. "He's arriving after the Club World Cup" Curry confirmed. "He's a world-class player. Very good. A guy who's going to make history here."

Enzo Maresca's side will also be part of the 32-team global jamboree in the US. The Blues are still waiting to discover their final group-stage opponent, but the way the bracket has been drawn makes it eminently possible for Estevao to come up against his future teammates in the quarter-finals of the competition.

That potentially awkward scenario hasn't diminished Estevao's excitement. The prodigious Brazilian has been quizzing his international teammates about the demands of Premier League football as part of an extensive preparation process.

"He's a very good player," Cury added. "He has a good family structure that helps him on a daily basis and is essential. Is he afraid of the jump to the Premier League? No, he'll play calmly. He'll arrive and be ready to play. He's playing very well at Palmeiras."