Alarm bells sound at Barcelona as ‘Messinho’ closes on move to England | OneFootball

The powers that be at La Liga giants Barcelona will no doubt be concerned by the latest word to have surfaced in the media surrounding Brazilian sensation Estêvão Willian.

This comes amid confirmation that Palmeiras have opened officials talks with Premier League outfit Chelsea, over the terms of a transfer.

Dubbed ‘Messinho’ in his home country, 17-year-old attacker Estêvão is widely considered to be one of South America’s next superstars in the making.

A supremely-gifted wide-man with touch, skill, pace and an eye for goal, the Palmeiras standout looks set to have a bright future at the very top level of the game.

Such talents had long piqued the attentions of the brass at Spanish football’s two biggest clubs, in Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Word was recently forthcoming in the media, though, that Estêvão himself had given his priority to a move to the former – his dream landing spot.

The Barcelona faithful will therefore no doubt be disappointed to hear that the attacker appears to be closing on a move elsewhere.

As per a report from The Athletic:

‘Chelsea are in talks to sign 17-year-old winger Estevao Willian from Palmeiras.’

Not only have the Blues kicked into gear negotiations over Messinho, but it is added that they are ‘confident of completing the transfer’ over the coming weeks.

The proposed deal would set the Stamford Bridge hierarchy back an initial €30 million, plus add-ons, with the player primed to take his talents to west London in April of 2025, upon turning 18.

Conor Laird | GSFN