Boehly strikes gold as Chelsea agree £55m deal for Brazil superstar branded ‘next Lionel Messi’

Chelsea have finalised an agreement to make Palmeiras forward Estevao Willian their first signing of the summer sources have confirmed to TEAMtalk, with how the fee will be broken down for the player branded the ‘next Lionel Messi’ also emerging.

It’s taken a while for the Todd Boehly era at Stamford Bridge to really kick into gear with the American and his BlueCo partners quickly finding out that success in the Premier League simply cannot be bought. And while Chelsea have splashed out over £1bn on new recruits over the three transfer windows under their control so far, they have soon learned that a slightly more conservative approach is actually more beneficial.

Indeed, with a more settled squad and with manager Mauricio Pochettino now settling on both his preferred line-up and formation, the Blues have been one of the form teams of the calendar year in England, with only Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool winning more points in the Premier League in 2024.

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As a result, sources have indicated to TEAMtalk that Chelsea are very much leaning towards continuing with the Argentine at the helm, deciding against another change of manager, despite strongly considering that possibility on a few occasions this season.

And with plans in place to further strengthen their squad this summer, albeit with a more measured and tactile approach to the market, hopes are growing that Chelsea – on course to book a Europa League spot for next season with a sixth-placed finish – can enjoy an even better season next time around.

Now sources have confirmed to TEAMtalk that a brilliant first signing of the summer has been struck with a move for Estevao Willian now agreed.

Estevao Willian to Chelsea: Details of the transfer fee revealed

The 17-year-old has been on the Blues radar for quite some time; scouts of the Blues first sounding him out as a player of interest while still only 14 and in the first Frank Lampard era at Stamford Bridge.

Having tracked him for some years, the Blues have not been alone in their interest in the player. Branded a ‘Messinho’ due to his sky-high potential and similar playing style to Lionel Messi, the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Arsenal and PSG have all been alerted to his potential.

But it is Chelsea who have long been in the driving seat for a deal and, having had a number of offers for the Palmeiras winger knocked back, sources close to TEAMtalk’s transfer correspondent Fraser Gillan have now confirmed a deal has been agreed after a few days of extensive talks.

The total package for the 17-year-old will reach a huge £55m (€64m) which puts him fifth on the all-time most expensive teenagers of all time list.

His Palmeias teammate Endrick (signing for Real Madrid this summer for €72m), as well as Matthijs de Ligt (€85m), Joao Felix (€126m) and Kylian Mbappe (€180m) are the only players above him.

We can reveal Chelsea have agreed to pay Palmeiras an initial £36m (€42m) for the five-times capped Brazil U17s star, with the fee to peak at £55m (€64m) once add-ons are taken into account.

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Lengthy contract and personal terms agreed 

Personal terms have already been agreed with Estevao Willian set to sign a lengthy deal at Stamford Bridge, potentially through to 2032, with the Blues forced to act fast to nail the player down due to the growing interest in his services.

For Palmeiras, it represents a second major sale of the year for the Sao Paulo based side, with the departure too of Endrick to Real Madrid netting them a combined €136m (£116.6m).

However, unlike his teammate who can move to the Bernabeu this summer, Brexit laws in this country means Chelsea will have to wait until the summer of 2025 before the player makes the move to London, given he does not turn 18 – the required age to get a work permit now in the UK – until next April.