Chelsea are now the favourites to sign a Brazilian ace who’s also wanted by Barcelona and Bayern Munich, and a deal could be possible for a low fee.
Blues targeting another exciting Brazilian amid Estevao success
Estevao is enjoying an impressive debut campaign at Stamford Bridge, having established himself as an important player for the Blues, with the 18-year-old recently netting the second goal in the 3-0 Champions League rout of Barcelona.
It is clear to see the youngster has left an impression on Enzo Maresca too, with the manager saying: “I feel very lucky to be his coach because it’s exciting, you can enjoy. I’ve said many times that I think the fans pay for their tickets to see players like Cole [Palmer], like Estevao, this kind of player.”
The forward is an example of BlueCo’s recruitment policy of signing younger players paying off, and they are now looking to bring in another up-and-coming Brazilian ace, who has impressed the west Londoners’ sporting directors.
That is according to a report from Spain, which states Chelsea are now the favourites to sign Santos defender Souza, despite rival interest from both Bayern Munich and Barcelona, with both European heavyweights already making contact over a potential deal.
The signing of the 19-year-old certainly wouldn’t break the bank at around just €15m (£13m), with the Blues looking to get the move over the line before his value increases considerably.
There is a belief the youngster could go on to become a top full-back or even left-winger, given that he is a very well-rounded player, who is also capable of contributing on the front foot.
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ByDominic Lund Souza emerging as key player for Santos
The teenager has already made 36 appearances for Santos at senior level, having established himself as an important player, and he has regularly impressed from an attacking point of view, chipping in with one goal and four assists.
Most recently, the starlet helped his side keep a clean sheet as they recorded a routine 3-0 victory over Sport Club do Recife, receiving a 7.7 SofaScore match rating courtesy of making a number of important defensive contributions.
Souza’s key statistics
Number completed
Duels (won)
9 (6)
Key passes
2
Clearances
3
Interceptions
2
With Souza yet to prove himself outside his native Brazil, he would very much be one for the future, and the aforementioned report makes it clear BlueCo are planning to loan the left-back to sister club Strasbourg initially.
During the January transfer window, it may be a better idea to focus on signing players capable of making an immediate impact, with a title race potentially on the cards, and amid Liam Delap’s slow start to life at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea have now joined the race to sign “one of the best strikers in Europe”.