Estevao set for immediate Chelsea role after getting Cole Palmer seal of approval | OneFootball

Enzo Maresca says Blues do want to not put too much pressure on Brazilian teenager but he is pushing to start against Crystal Palace

Estevao made an instant impact for Chelsea in friendly wins over Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan

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Chelsea fans were treated to a weekend full of goals, trophies and some trademark Brazilian flair as they started and ended their pre-season preparations with comfortable victories over Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan.

Enzo Maresca's side, who twice lifted the Visit Malta cup as well as the Club World Cup in front of their own fans, put on a show as they made a triumphant homecoming, scoring six goals and conceding once as they romped to two wins in three days.

The 18-year-old, who signed for Chelsea last summer for a fee that could reach up to £55million, made his first appearance in a Blues shirt against Leverkusen and took the game by storm, scoring his first goal for the club after just 18 minutes.

Estevao scored on his first Chelsea appearance against Bayer Leverkusen

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Reacting quickest after Cole Palmer's effort had come off the crossbar, Estevao got his reward for a scintillating performance in which the anticipation from the home crowd was clear every time he touched the ball.

Starting as the right winger in Maresca's 4-2-3-1 formation, Estevao surged forward with pace and authority from the first whistle, carving out a shooting opportunity for Marc Cucurella after just four minutes.

With confidence beyond his years, Estevao, who can play across the frontline, showed no signs of being daunted by the competition for places within Chelsea's squad, even assuming responsibility for corners following his introduction against Milan.

Estevao has confidence in himself, but so too do his team-mates, and it was striking just how regularly Cole Palmer, a player who looked at times flummoxed by the lack of support he had last season, looked to get the ball into the feet of the former Palmeiras man.

Estevao and Palmer linked up well against AC Milan on Sunday

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Maresca opted to bring Estevao on from the bench in the second half against Milan, and he made an almost immediate impact as he was hauled down inside the box to hand Chelsea a penalty, which Liam Delap confidently dispatched.

Praised by team-mate and fellow winger Jamie Gittens as having that 'Joga Bonito' after his debut against Leverkusen, Estevao is a player who gets people off their seats.

However, as he has proved across his first two Chelsea appearances, the youngster combines style with substance.

“It was amazing. You’ve seen the Joga Bonito. He’s a great player with so much skill and attributes, so it was great to see him play and score," Gittens said of Estevao's performance against Leverkusen.

“We see it in training every day. He’s been here for a week, and he’s already done mad things in training, so to see it today was just one part of him doing it every day.”

With Estevao and Pedro Neto, who has become an indispensable part of Maresca's team, able to play on both flanks, the Chelsea boss will most likely look to the pair as his first-choice options out wide heading into the new season.

Maresca has implored Chelsea's fans to just enjoy Estevao rather than placing unhealthy expectations on the youngster.

There is, however, no ignoring the talent he possesses, and the clamour for him to start at home to Crystal Palace on Sunday is building.