Estevao Willian’s time at Palmeiras has come to an end as a result of their exit at the Club World Cup at the hands of Chelsea.
The Blues came through as 2-1 winners, however not before they were given a real scare by Estevao’s stunning second-half goal that levelled proceedings.
A number of Chelsea players came to console the youngster at the end of the game, with Cole Palmer swapping shirts with Estevao in a game where both scored superb goals.
Marc Cucurella was impressed by Estevao after the Spaniard gave him a notably tough time of things, perhaps a sign of what is likely to come when he begins to feature against Premier League sides.
Palmeiras manager Abel Ferreira sends message to Enzo Maresca about Estevao Willian
After saying an emotional goodbye to the Brazilian club, the winger will now prepare to make his Chelsea debut, with the plan to not include sending him on loan.
Ahead of joining up with the first team, Palmeiras boss Abel Ferreira has claimed that he has told Enzo Maresca about the player he is set to have at his disposal, whilst also offering a warning to the youngster about what he can expect from a move to England.
He said to GE Globo: “I spoke to Maresca before, he is a very good coach. He bought an incredible player, but more than that, he is an incredible person. He is an 18-year-old guy, an impressive player, you will have to take care of him, embrace him and show him affection.
“At the beginning, he will certainly make mistakes. He is an incredible player with many skills and qualities, he can win a game on his own because of his abilities.
“When he came to the first team, I told him he needed to play on the wing, attack and defend. I told him he needed to improve his career as a player and grow as a person. He is very young and will be leaving his country.
“I told him that the sun is not the same in England, he will only see it two or three times a year there. He will certainly be able to play. He is a fantastic player.”
Maresca excited by Estevao
After Chelsea’s victory against the Brazilian side, Maresca was handed the chance to speak to his future player for the first time in person.
The Chelsea boss told Estevao how highly he rated him, whilst also saying that he had enjoyed the perfect night by seeing him score despite the Blues’ win.
The youngster will face a fair bit of competition for his place in the first team next season. Chelsea have added Joao Pedro and Jamie Gittens to their ranks.
They could be about to part ways with Noni Madueke though, with the England international having agreed personal terms over a potential move to Arsenal.
Receive a digest of our best Chelsea content each week direct to your mailbox
