Brazilian attacker Estevao Willian has been linked with a move away from the club and the likes of Chelsea and Barcelona are keen on him.
According to a report from the Mirror, Chelsea have been working on a deal to sign the 16-year-old since October and they are hopeful of completing the deal soon. However, Barcelona are also working behind the scenes to get the deal done and they have held talks with the player’s representatives. They are now growing increasingly optimistic of hijacking Chelsea’s move to sign the Brazilian.
The 16-year-old is highly rated in South America and he has a big future ahead of him. He has a £51 million release clause in his contract and it remains to be seen whether Chelsea are prepared to trigger it.
Estevao Willian could cost Chelsea and Barcelona £51 million
Estevao Willian, also known as Messinho, will be able to join Chelsea following his 18th birthday and the Blues might want to sign him for a more reasonable price. They are going through financial difficulties right now and they will have to comply with the Premier League financial regulations. Spending big money on the Brazilian might not be possible for them.
On the other hand, Barcelona do not have the financial means to spend £51 million on 16-year-old attacker.
It remains to be seen whether Palmeiras are prepared to lower their asking price for the player. The 16-year-old could develop into a key player for both clubs and he has the tools to establish himself as a top class attacker with the right guidance.
Chelsea and Barcelona have an impressive record of nurturing young players and they could help the Brazilian fulfil his potential.