“`html
At 18 years and 120 days old, Estevao has become the youngest player in Premier League history to record an assist for Chelsea.
Following the late withdrawal of Chelsea’s key player, Cole Palmer, during the warm-up ahead of their Premier League fixture against West Ham, teenage sensation Estevao Willian seized the opportunity to demonstrate the qualities that have generated such excitement among Blues supporters regarding his arrival.
The 18-year-old stepped in for England international Palmer, making his first Premier League start. However, he initially conceded possession with a flick that led to Lucas Paqueta’s impressive opening goal for the home side in the sixth minute.
Despite the setback, the Brazilian forward showcased why Chelsea were prepared to invest £29m to secure his transfer to Stamford Bridge, notably providing the assist for Enzo Fernandez’s first-half goal as the Fifa Club World Cup winners ultimately secured a dominant 5-1 victory.
With his intelligent run and subsequent pull-back for Fernandez’s close-range finish, Estevao, at 18 years and 120 days, became the youngest Chelsea player to ever assist a goal in the Premier League.
“He needs to adapt and make numerous mistakes to fully grasp the distinctions between the Premier League and Brazilian football,” Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca told BBC Sport.
“We conceded a goal after his flick. He needs to learn, but he possesses exceptional talent.”
Estevao chose Chelsea despite attracting interest from several of Europe’s leading clubs, including Bayern Munich, Paris St-Germain, and Manchester City.
He embodies the classic “wonderkid” profile, joining the Blues amidst considerable anticipation and with high expectations for future achievements.
Estevao offered a glimpse of his potential during the Club World Cup, scoring in the quarter-finals as his former club Palmeiras lost to Chelsea, and early impressions of him in England have been favorable.
“Despite his youth, he demonstrated remarkable maturity,” commented Chelsea teammate Marc Cucurella.
“He made sound decisions, and all the new players and signings have come here to contribute to the team, injecting positive energy and talent. We possess an exceptional squad, and I am optimistic about our prospects this season.”
Former England and Chelsea goalkeeper Rob Green noted that Estevao appeared to “simply relish the opportunity to play and express himself.”
“It seemed as if he played with complete freedom and without any burden of expectation,” he told Sky Sports.
“Having spent time at Chelsea, you gain exposure to numerous international players and their diverse approaches to the game, both leading up to and during matches, and even on the team bus.”
“Brazilian players approach it like a celebration. It’s meant to be enjoyed. They simply want to play football with excitement and relish the experience.”
This video can not be played
Pedro shines as five-star Chelsea make West Ham crumble
Chelsea overcame the absence of their star player, Palmer, against West Ham, displaying their strength in depth.
Maresca revealed that the 23-year-old “had not been at 100% for the past four or five days,” and a minor groin issue prevented him from participating in Friday’s match.
“He attempted to warm up, but experienced discomfort,” he added. “We opted not to take any risks of exacerbating the injury and will assess the situation further in the coming hours to determine the severity.”
Maresca acknowledged that his team performs “significantly better” when Palmer is available, but asserted that the Blues have demonstrated their ability to perform well even without him.
He stated, “While it’s true that Cole is our best player, without a doubt, and we are a much, much, much better team when he is present, we are not solely reliant on him.”
Cucurella also highlighted how Estevao played a key role in filling the void created by Palmer’s late withdrawal, which presented a “difficult” situation.
“It’s challenging because we prepare with one plan, and then we need to adapt very quickly,” the Spanish left-back explained.
“However, I believe Estevao delivered an outstanding performance in this instance. It’s crucial because we have a strong squad, we are all ready to step up at any time, and we are very pleased to have showcased our collective strength as a team.”
Latest Chelsea news, analysis and fan views
Ask about Chelsea – what do you want to know?
Comments can not be loaded
To load Comments you need to enable JavaScript in your browser
“`