ESTEVAO WILLIAN is Brazil’s new superstar in waiting poised to set light to the Premier League next season.
But as he stands on the brink of the ultimate Chelsea audition, taking on his new team-mates in what could be his final appearance for Palmeiras this weekend, the teenager is at the centre of a storm.
Once seen as a team player, despite his tender years, Estevao is now being accused of putting himself first.
He is also said to have been misbehaving behind the scenes, taking liberties on the training ground and putting his Chelsea future miles ahead of his Palmeiras present.
It all adds up to an 18-year-old under huge pressure ahead of what was already the biggest game of his fledgling career.
In Philadelphia, in the early hours of Saturday, Estevao hopes to show the Chelsea fans why the club has agreed to pay £29million up front plus another £25m in bonuses – one of the biggest transfers for a South American teenager in recent years.
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For Palmeiras, it’s a financial windfall but for Estevao, it is a turning point fraught with challenges, expectations, and personal battles.
Behind the headlines, Estevao has been quite open about his struggles.
He admitted recently that anxiety follows him daily, making it hard to stay fully focused on the present. Quite a confession.
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His mind often drifts to London and the life that awaits him there.
As young as he still is, he understands this move will mark the end of a chapter that he knows and controls.
And the beginning of another, where everything is unknown, he controls nothing. And where every action he does will be scrutinised.
On the pitch this tension has been visible over recent weeks, especially in the last-16 clash against fellow Brazilians Botafogo.
Hauled off, Estevao clearly and publicly complained about the call, his explicit language causing shock and outrage as he threw his wristband down and muttered under his breath.
This sparked a media frenzy back home, with some calling him a “difficult boy”, while few others defended his raw honesty.
Coach Abel Ferreira stepped in to defend Estevao, saying: “He is still a boy in a very complicated phase of life, needing understanding and patience.”
But inside Palmeiras’ dressing room, the situation is more complex.
Dressing room accusations
Some senior players have disagreed with Estevao over tactical decisions with the youngster accused of being headstrong and selfish, of passing the ball less and less to his team-mates and too determined to win matches on his own to see the bigger picture on the pitch.
There are very clear and repeated reports he has become quieter, more reserved, as if trying to avoid more mistakes before his big move to London.
What seemed and was supposed to be a tranquil and relaxed move to Chelsea, is now a full row of gossip, questioning and arguments, all over the media.
He has caught attention for his Neymar-style white wrist tape and haircut.
But where it matters, on the pitch, he has not delivered in the United States.
Against Botafogo it was his replacement, Paulinho, who entered and scored the only goal to set up the quarter-final showdown with Chelsea.
‘Late to training’
Through his development, a close-knit family – led by his father Ivo – have tried to shield him from the pressures of the game.
But Palmeiras insiders feel he has changed under the weight of his imminent move by being late to training and skipping post-match team meetings, citing fatigue or personal commitments.
This has raised eyebrows among the coaching staff, who are concerned about maintaining squad unity while Estevao has been spending time on his phone, messaging Chelsea contacts and friends already in Europe.
After one recent session, he was overheard discussing London and asking about English lessons.
The fear is that, like two other recent Brazilian wonderkids, it might be all too much.
Vitor Roque, once a highly touted prospect for Barcelona and now back with Palmeiras, struggled in Europe and returned to Brazil.
Endrick has struggled at Real Madrid[/caption]
‘Volatile’ personality
And Endrick, at Real Madrid, has faced difficulties adapting to pressure and style.
Even those who have nurtured Estevao feel he is volatile, his development marked by flashes of brilliance and bouts of frustration.
From childhood, Estevao was fiercely competitive and sensitive, locking himself away in his room to cry himself to sleep.
Now, those vulnerabilities will play out under a global spotlight.
Tensions in training, occasional harsh words with team-mates, and nervous body language reveal a young man wrestling with immense expectations.
Brazilian media have reported that Estevao’s commercial team has been working overtime to manage his image, negotiating new sponsorships and even planning a farewell video for social media, while a documentary crew has been following him for months.
Enzo Maresca will get to watch his new starlet close up on Saturday[/caption]
Becoming ‘isolated’
When he started following Chelsea players and liking posts about his future club, Palmeiras fans reacted with accusations of disloyalty.
Defeat in Saturday’s game against the Blues would make it his last game for Palmeiras, before leaving under a cloud of tension.
That has been evident since Chelsea beat Benfica to confirm the showdown.
Estevao has been more isolated, spending extra time in the gym but also seen in quiet conversations with Palmeiras’ psychologist, hoping to manage the emotional rollercoaster.
The club’s sports science staff have also adjusted his workload, hoping to keep him fresh both physically and mentally for what could be his grand farewell.
But it has only brought more questions over his priorities, a young man amid a maelstrom of a massive transfer, public scrutiny and personal growth.
Chelsea’s investment reflects faith in his talent, but also a risk.
Whether Estevao will rise to the challenge or falter under pressure remains to be seen.
For now, he is a boy with a ball, dreams in his eyes and the weight of a nation – a big one – on his shoulders.
