Estevao’s start to the season at Chelsea has fallen far short of the young Brazilian’s expectations. Now 19, the winger is struggling to earn Xabi Alonso’s trust and has played just 23 minutes in the first five Premier League matches, with his only two starts coming in the EFL Cup.
This situation is reportedly frustrating the former Palmeiras player, who had hoped for a more prominent role in his second season in England.
According to Sport, there are also several disagreements between the player and his manager regarding his positioning, with Estevão wanting to gradually move more centrally, a role already occupied by Cole Palmer.
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FC Barcelona is reportedly following this situation closely, as the Brazilian’s profile is particularly valued in Catalonia. The Catalan outlet, however, says that Estevao and his entourage are not considering a departure from Chelsea at this time.
When questioned about his limited playing time during Brazil’s international break, the young striker avoided any controversy with Xabi Alonso: “Every coach has his own way of playing, and of course, I work every day and give my best. That’s what I do.”
He added: “We have many very high-quality players at Chelsea. I focus on what I can control. When I have an opportunity, I try to give my best. I think I’ve made the most of all the opportunities I’ve had. I try to control what’s in my hands and leave.”
During the 2025-26 season, the Brazilian winger played 36 matches, scoring 8 goals and providing 3 assists. The young forward had come from scoring 12 goals and providing 5 assists in 37 matches the previous campaign with Palmeiras, while in 2024 he scored 15 goals and provided 10 assists in 45 appearances.
Therefore, Estevao’s frustration is completely understandable, considering that he arrived at Chelsea as one of the biggest prospects in soccer and has not been able to break out as expected due to a lack of opportunities. This is similar to Endrick’s situation at Real Madrid.
Estevao needed to have arrived at a project that not only buys stars but also develops talent, just as PSG has done in recent years with players like Desire Doue, Bradley Barcola, Joao Neves, Nuno Mendes, etc. Or as Barcelona has also achieved with players like Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsi, and more recently Xavi Espart.
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