Chelsea have joined Manchester United in the chase to sign Brazil’s Under-17 World Cup sensation Estevao Willian, who is nicknamed after Lionel Messi. The two Premier League clubs are reportedly set to battle it out for his signature after watching the youngster steal the headlines at the tournament in Indonesia, with ‘Messinho’ scoring three goals in four games for the South American nation.
Estevao netted twice in a 3-1 win over Ecuador on Wednesday to set up a tasty quarter-final clash against Argentina’s Under-17s. He also has created four assists for his team-mates, with Brazil storming to a 9-0 win over New Caledonia in the group stage, as well as beating England’s young side 2-1.
And there are said to be scouts from both Chelsea and Manchester United taking a closer look at the teenage sensation, while Barcelona, PSG and Manchester City are also thought to be tracking him.
He has been on the radar of Europe’s elite ever since he signed a sponsorship deal with Nike at the age of 10 and Mundo Deportivo report that PSG have offered a huge £43.5m (€50m) to get the jump on their rivals. That is despite the fact the 16-year-old is yet to make his senior debut for Palmeiras, but it surely won’t be long until the attacker is fast-tracked to the first team.
Brazil has become a hotbed for European clubs to snap up wonderkids for modest prices and convince them to make the lucrative switch across the Atlantic. However, FIFA rules prohibit them from being registered before their 18th birthday, meaning ‘Messinho’ would need to wait until July 2025 before he can think about joining a new club overseas.
But Estevao could follow the likes of Endrick and Neymar in rejecting overtures from England by sealing a move to Spain. Real Madrid have used their connections in Brazil to contact the player’s representatives too, with the La Liga club homing talents such as Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and now Endrick, who is Estevao’s current team-mate.
However, in a recent interview with the same publication, he revealed his dream is to play at the Camp Nou just like Messi after hailing the Argentina star as an inspiration – giving Barcelona the upper hand if a bidding war unfolds.
“I pay a lot of attention to Messi, who is a player I admire a lot. I watch his videos and try to reproduce what he does on the field and sometimes it works,” he said. “It was always him, he is a player I am inspired by, I watch videos of him daily.
“He is a teacher. I do not have words to describe it, everything he does is phenomenal. How can you explain in words that everything he does? It is phenomenal, I always try to copy him on the field.”
Asked about his favourite club, Estevao added: “I watch almost all Barca games, I am a fan of the club. I have great admiration for the players who play there and I hope to be there too.”
