Chelsea’s teenage sensation Willian Estevao is at the centre of fresh transfer speculation after his agent, Andre Cury, hinted that a future move to Barcelona remains possible.
The suggestion came less than 24 hours after the 18-year-old delivered a stunning performance in Chelsea’s 3–0 Champions League victory over Hansi Flick’s Barcelona at Stamford Bridge, where he scored and outshone fellow prodigy Lamine Yamal.
Estevao has made an explosive start to life in the Champions League in his debut season in England. His goal against Barcelona made him the second-youngest player in history, after Kylian Mbappé, to score in his first three Champions League starts.
The Brazilian described the win as a “special moment”, saying he felt grateful and overwhelmed by the support from Chelsea fans and his family, who watched from the stands.
Despite his success at Chelsea, Estevao’s long-standing admiration for Barcelona continues to fuel talk of a future move.
Cury revealed that the Catalan club had held multiple rounds of talks to sign the youngster between 2021 and 2024, but were unable to complete a deal due to financial limitations.
According to the agent, Barcelona’s technical staff approved the move, but Deco could not make it happen because of the club’s economic struggles.
Estevao has previously stated that playing for Barcelona is his “biggest dream”, having grown up idolising Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Luis Suárez.
While acknowledging his client’s happiness at Chelsea, Cury insisted Estevao still holds a “special affection” for Barcelona and left the door open for a potential transfer later in his career.
The agent even suggested Estevao and Lamine Yamal could thrive in the same team, drawing comparisons to the legendary Neymar-Messi partnership.
Estevao’s rapid rise has also attracted praise from Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca, who echoed Raphinha’s belief that Estevao and Yamal could become the next Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo of their generation.
However, Maresca warned against placing too much pressure on the teenage talents, stressing that they must be allowed to develop at their own pace.
Chelsea now shift focus back to the Premier League, where they prepare for a top-of-the-table showdown against Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
