Chelsea wonderkid Estevao BROKEN before he even joins club

Cameron Smith

• Updated: 20 Sept 2024 14:24 BST
• 3 min read

Chelsea already have a major issue regarding new signing Estevao Willian.

The Brazilian wonderkid will join the Blues in 2025 after an initial transfer fee of €34 million was agreed with Palmeiras earlier this year.

He is considered to be one of the best talents in South America and he has frequently been compared to Brazil legend Neymar thanks to his immense close control and his rapid breakthrough onto the senior stage.

READ MORE: Ranking Chelsea's Reece James replacement options

Chelsea fought off significant competition from a host of elite European clubs to sign Estevao, with Real Madrid and Barcelona among the clubs monitoring his progress before the Blues agreed a deal.

However, despite his obvious talent, a major problem with the signing has already arisen.

READ MORE: Chelsea open to selling Mudryk as biggest fan targets deal

Estevao’s injury woes

Estevao has racked up over 3,000 minutes of senior football, despite being just 17 years old, and he is being completely overworked - in a similar way to Barcelona starlet Lamine Yamal.

The fixture schedule in Brazil is frankly mental and considering Palmeiras have already agreed to sell Estevao, they have little benefit from giving him the rest he needs.

As a result, he has suffered three separate injuries in three successive months, with his latest blow coming against Criciuma on Sunday.

Estevao suffered a thigh injury during the match and he is expected to be ruled out for up to four weeks, according to Brazilian outlet Nosso Palestra (via The Secret Scout).

It comes after two separate ankle injuries had sidelined the Brazilian teenager in July and August.

Estevao has 15 goals and 10 assists in all competitions in 2024 so far, including seven goal contributions in his last four league games, but Chelsea will be extremely wary of his ongoing injury problems.

The Blues have reportedly decided that he will be handed a first-team role immediately upon his arrival next summer, instead of being loaned out, however they must be very careful with a player who is already on his way to being labelled ‘injury-prone.’