Breaking: Barcelona linked with interest in Chelsea star Estêvão!

Press reports have revealed that Brazilian star Estêvão has recently been linked to the Spanish giant Barcelona, ​​and he could soon leave London.

Reports indicate that Barcelona is closely monitoring the Brazilian player's situation and is interested in bringing him to Camp Nou, noting that he is currently not enjoying his best spell with the team due to limited playing time under Xabi Alonso.

• read more: Chelsea faces a major setback regarding Alex Scott!

At the start of the 2026–2027 season, the Brazilian player has made only sporadic appearances for Chelsea, casting significant doubt on his future within Xabi Alonso's squad.

A tactical clash with Xabi Alonso

Word out of Stamford Bridge suggests all is not well between the manager and his young Brazilian prospect. The Spanish coach, it seems, has been asking Estêvão to fill a role that simply isn't in his nature — dropping him into a right wing-back slot, a job that goes against every instinct the boy has as a natural winger. Those close to the situation say he has little appetite for it.

And the fallout has been plain to see. Minutes have dried up almost entirely. Take Chelsea's trip to the Gtech Community Stadium on September 18, where they walked away with a 3-1 win over Brentford in the Premier League. Estêvão barely featured — a mere four-minute cameo off the bench at the death, nothing more than a footnote on the night.

In a recent press conference with the Brazilian national team, the talented young Brazilian discussed his situation at Chelsea under Xabi Alonso, stating that he is satisfied with the Spanish manager's decision to favor Cole Palmer over Estêvão.

According to internal reports, Estêvão has no interest in continuing to bulk up his physique just to handle the punishing defensive and physical demands that come with being a Premier League forward. He feels that adding extra muscle mass is actually working against him, getting in the way of his dribbling agility rather than helping his game.

Barcelona had shown interest in the player before Chelsea

Barcelona had their eyes on the forward and sent scouts to watch him, but in the end they simply couldn't justify the enormous financial package it would have taken to outbid Chelsea for his signature back in 2024.

The reason behind their hesitation? Lamine Yamal had already burst onto the scene in that very same position, making such a massive investment feel redundant to the club's hierarchy.

As for Alonso, he's standing firmly behind the decisions he made at Stamford Bridge, showing no regret over sticking with his trusted attacking trio of João Pedro, Cole Palmer, and Morgan Rogers.

Hazem Mlhem |

Editorar, en

Hazem Mlhem est un rédacteur sportif expérimenté, animé par une passion pour le football africain.

Related teams and leagues

Barcelona

Chelsea