Brazilian wonderkid Estevao Willian will not join Chelsea for this summer’s Club World Cup, his agent has confirmed.
Estevao is currently plying his trade for Palmeiras and has been tipped as Brazil’s most promising talent since Neymar Jr. He signed to Chelsea in June 2024 for a reported £29million, a fee which could rise to £55m with add-ons.
He is set to join up with his new teammates this summer after turning 18, but it was unclear whether he would move in time to participate in Chelsea’s Club World Cup campaign in June.
In a new interview, though, Brazilian agent Andre Cury confirmed the player would join up after the competition’s conclusion.
Speaking to AS, he said: “Yes, he's arriving after the Club World Cup.
“He's a world-class player. Very good. A guy who's going to make history here.”
Estevao will instead appear at the Club World Cup for Palmeiras, where he could potentially play against Chelsea, though the two clubs are in different groups.
Cury has masterminded some of the most valuable transfers in football history, including Neymar’s moves from Santos to Barcelona and onwards to Paris Saint-Germain.
He added that Estevao, who has already claimed four senior Brazil caps, also received interest from PSG and Bayern Munich, among ‘several’ other European clubs.
Estevao’s prodigious talent has earned him the nickname ‘Little Messi’ in Brazil, and he is expected to link up with Brazil teammate Andrey Santos on arrival at Chelsea. Santos joined the Blues in 2023 and has spent the 2024-25 season on loan at Chelsea’s sister club Strasbourg, where he is wearing the captain’s armband.
Also joining Chelsea this summer is the similarly prodigious Ecuadorian winger Kendry Paez, who has signed from Independiente del Valle. He was pictured training with Strasbourg earlier this month amid rumours he would spend his first European season on loan with the Ligue 1 outfit.
Enzo Maresca has said he is monitoring the player’s progress: “Yes, we are following him. He is doing fantastic - but, unfortunately, he is doing fantastic there and not with us.
“For sure, we are very happy in the way he is doing these things."
The new-look Club World Cup begins in Miami on June 15, with matches taking place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Manchester City will also contest the tournament.
