"Why not?"- Arsenal legend says Chelsea should sign Brazilian legend
Arsenal legend Willian Gallas claims Chelsea should have acquired the signature of Brazilian superstar Neymar Jr. instead of signing his countryman Estevao Willian from Brazilian club Palmeiras. Chelsea completed the signing of the Brazilian wonderkid last month, who will join the West London club next summer.
The Palmeiras academy graduate created waves at his boyhood club with his performance after signing his professional contract in January. The winger has scored six goals and provided three assists in his 27 appearances for the club. This impressive six-month stint with the senior team spurred interest from clubs across Europe to acquire his signature.
The West London club signed a £52 million deal for the Brazilian youngster, beating European giants like Bayern Munich, PSG, Manchester City, and Barcelona in the race. Palmeiras’ academy is currently flourishing, having also completed the signing of their striker Endrick to Real Madrid and Luis Guilherme to West Ham.
Estevao gained more publicity after his performance in the U17 World Cup 2023 for Brazil’s national team. Despite Brazil’s journey ending at the knockout stage, Estevao impressed fans with his performance. His ability to change direction and dribble past opponents while running with the ball at speed makes him one of the most anticipated players for the future.
Willian Gallas has a different view on Chelsea’s signing strategy, suggesting that the club should have gone for Neymar instead. He argues that the experience of the Brazilian superstar would have helped the club more. Gallas told Lord Ping, per Football London, that Chelsea had made a bid for Neymar last summer following the expiration of his contract with PSG, but Neymar ended up joining Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal.
“If I had the money I would’ve preferred to spend it on a player like Neymar. Someone with experience who will know how to adapt very quickly, it’s harder for young players. You can say that the money is an investment for the future but the Premier League is much tougher than La Liga, Ligue 1, Serie A and even the Bundesliga, it’s far more physical.
It can be hard for players, even for Neymar. Because Neymar needs space and he also needs rest, playing every three games can be really intense. But it would be good to see him in the Premier League and fans will love him too, I’m not sure if he could work with Mikel Arteta at Arsenal but Neymar to Chelsea, why not?”
The Brazilian youngster is expected to shine in Europe, much like Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo, who left for Europe at the same age for substantial fees. Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca will need to find the perfect spot for Estevao in the squad for the 2025/26 season. Chelsea will also have Estevao on their side when they participate in FIFA’s new Club World Cup in July 2025.
Estevao will use Stamford Bridge as a stage to develop his future, and with his talent at 17, he has the potential to become a key player for the club. Chelsea fans will likely start to follow Serie A to track his performance in the upcoming season.
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