Deal close: Chelsea leading Barcelona and PSG in race to sign highly-rated Brazilian star
Chelsea leading Barcelona and PSG in race to sign highly-rated Brazilian star
According to Caughtoffside, Chelsea is leading Barcelona and PSG in the race to sign Estevao Willian, a highly-rated Brazilian wonderkid from Palmeiras, with talks ongoing for a potential €60 million transfer.
Estevao, also known as ‘Messinho’, is considered one of the top talents in South America.
Both Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain have shown interest in Estevao, but Chelsea appear to be in the forefront, with the Blues having already sent our technical director to São Paulo to discuss a potential transfer with Palmeiras’ president.
Chelsea’s pursuit is part of the club’s strategy under the ownership of Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali to prioritize the recruitment of young talents.
The club has a history of signing Brazilian youngsters, with Andrey Santos, Angelo Gabriel, and Deivid Washington having joined in the past year. However, none of these players have yet made a significant impact on the first team.
As for Estevao’s move, Chelsea is negotiating the structure of payment terms to meet his €60 million release clause, a figure that seems to be too expensive for Barcelona, who are currently facing Financial Fair Play concerns.
Chelsea is looking to secure a commitment from Estevao before Barcelona can raise the necessary funds to enter the race for hi
s signature.