'The players are very excited' - Arteta on Gyokeres arrival
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Metro
7 minutes ago
- Metro
Estevao Willian explains why he picked Chelsea over Arsenal, Real Madrid & Barca
Estevao Willian has explained why he joined Chelsea and snubbed transfer moves to the likes of Arsenal, Real Madrid and Barcelona. The Blues announced in June 2024 that they'd signed the Brazil international teenager, who officially arrived at Chelsea this summer from Palmeiras. Estevao, who cost €34m (£29.2m) plus €23m (£19.8m) in add-ons, is considered to be one of the best young footballers in the world. The 18-year-old could've joined pretty much any club he wanted with Chelsea, Arsenal, Real Madrid and Barcelona all registering an interest. In a new interview on the Chelsea website, the winger has now lifted the lid on why he picked Stamford Bridge instead of the Emirates or Spain. In The Mixer: Exclusive analysis, FPL tips and transfer talk sent straight to your inbox every week – click here and sign up before Friday to make sure you don't miss the first edition. 'Their plans, the structure and the club – everything,' Estevao said. 'But mainly the plans and the project the club has is what interested me and my family, and I think it was the best decision we could have made.' Estevao has also expressed his admiration for Chelsea legend Eden Hazard and hopes to follow in the footsteps of a number of Brazilian players who've featured for the Blues over the years – including Thiago Silva, David Luiz, Ramires, Oscar and Willian. 'Eden Hazard is the one that I watched the most at Chelsea,' Estevao added. 'He's ace. '[And] it's a pleasure to be here where so many Brazilians made history. 'I hope to follow those who wrote a beautiful story here at Chelsea just like they did. 'After I had signed for Chelsea and in the final game of 2024, I played against Thiago Silva. He came and talked to me. 'He said I was going to love the club, which has an incredible structure and is an incredible club. And now [I am here], I can see how amazing this club is. '[My long-term goals at Chelsea are] I want to win all the titles possible: the Premier League and the Champions League as well. More Trending 'And personally, to be the best in the world and keep working hard so that these dreams come true.' Chelsea's new signing Estevao has been labelled the best Brazilian-born player since Neymar by Brazil's World Cup winner Branco. Neymar himself has waxed lyrical about Estevao, predicting the teen – already capped five times by Brazil – will prove himself as a 'genius'. Brazil legend Ronaldo, meanwhile, believes that Estevao is 'kind of like' Barcelona and Spain star Lamine Yamal. MORE: RB Leipzig and Liverpool begin transfer talks over 'fearless' £50m English star MORE: Chelsea star 'set to join' Borussia Dortmund in £22m permanent transfer move MORE: Man Utd make Harry Maguire transfer decision after five offers for defender
Daily Mail
36 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Welcome to Chelsea, finally! Brazilian wonderkid Estevao arrives ONE YEAR on from signing for the west London side - and after scoring against the Blues at the Club World Cup
Chelsea announced the long-awaited transfer of Brazilian wonderkid Estevao Willian - one year on from signing the former Palmeiras starlet. The Blues have enjoyed another prolific summer in the transfer market, with attacking signings Joao Pedro and Liam Delap showing immediate promise as part of the squad's triumphant Club World Cup run. Enzo Maresca 's side have since added players including Borussia Dortmund 's Jamie Gittens and talented Ajax defender Jorrel Hato to their ranks ahead of the start of the Premier League season. But as the west London side continue to manage incomings and outgoings in the window, Estevao's arrival at Cobham stands out, with Chelsea having snapped up the winger for £28million in June 2024. Estevao's deal such that he continued the 2024-25 season with his Brazilian side, even meeting his new club in last month's Club World Cup - and scoring against them in the 2-1 defeat in the quarter finals - waiting to join Chelsea until he turned 18. But Blues fans finally had the chance to see their new player in club colours on Tuesday afternoon, with the team finally announcing their latest signing in a post which posed the teenager as a life-size figurine. As fans flocked to social media to share their delight in the news, Estevao himself was brimming with excitement in a brief interview shared with the club's website. 'I am very happy, it feels very rewarding to represent Chelsea, one of the biggest clubs in the world,' Estevao said. 'I am very happy and I hope to help the team in the best way possible. 'I had almost a year and a half to wait until I arrived here. But it has been a year and a half that I have worked hard and have done my best to get here in the best shape possible. 'I am very, very excited. It is a new experience in my life, a new stage. I am looking forward to it and hope that it will go as well as possible.' Estevao previously spoke to some of his Chelsea team-mates in the wake of Palmeiras' defeat, through his compatriot-turned-translator, fellow new signing Dario Essugo. Essugo helped decipher Cole Palmer's request that Estevao spend some time with team-mates to-be after their victory, but the 18-year-old explained later that he had politely declined. 'I had to ask Essugo what Cole had said to me,' said Estevao. 'He laughed a bit before translating, telling me "Cole said he's excited for you and want you to come with us after the game".' 'I wanted to stay some more time with my team pals,' he added. 'I came here with them. And I should go back to Brazil with them. My heart is broken because only we know how hard we worked. 'But I leave with pride. And I am happy to have a giant club as Chelsea opening its doors to me. 'I just wanted to show my new fans in England who I am. That it is all. I hope to learn. I am sure I come to London to evolve, and to make history there too.' Palmer made a point of embracing Estevao and swapping shirts with him after the final whistle, despite the language barrier. 'I told Estevao we are excited for you to join but he didn't understand a single word I said,' Palmer said. Maresca was certainly impressed by his new recruit's performance, noting after the final whistle that his 'huge talent' was undeniable. 'The only thing now is when you come from South America or another part of the world to Europe, you need to adapt,' Maresca added. 'We are going to help him to adapt, and first of all to enjoy football.' Chelsea supporters that Estevao lives up to his seismic hype, with the club having fought off advances from Barcelona, Manchester City, and Paris Saint-Germain in the race to land his signature. Nicknamed 'Messinho' early on in his career, Estevao has most frequently earned comparisons to Neymar Jnr, who has described him as a 'genius'. Last year, Estevao became the youngest player in history to be named ESPN Brazil's Player of the Year, and he has since joined up with the national team, making five appearances for the Selecao.
The Guardian
38 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Martin's changes pay off as Gassama double eases Rangers past Viktoria Plzen
Russell Martin's bold team selection paid off as Rangers battered Viktoria Plzen 3-0 in the first leg of their Champions League third qualifying round tie at Ibrox. Martin hit out at some of his squad following their deflating 1-1 draw at Motherwell on Saturday, questioning mentality, egos and application, and the captain James Tavernier and the midfielder Nicolas Raskin were the biggest names among the expected changes. Martin got the required reaction as the winger Djeidi Gassama scored after 15 minutes before the returning striker Cyriel Dessers added a second from the spot just before the interval. Gassama, signed this summer from Sheffield Wednesday, scored a third in the 51st minute to put the Govan side into a commanding lead and eventually a comfortable win. Rangers will be heavy favourites to progress to a playoff tie against Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg or Club Brugge of Belgium. After pointing the finger at his under performers at the weekend, all eyes were on Martin's team selection and he made significant changes. Along with Tavernier and Raskin – arguably their best player last season – Danilo and Kieran Dowell were left out. New signing Oliver Antman, the Finland winger who joined from Go Ahead Eagles on Monday, made his debut with left-back Jefté, midfielder Lyall Cameron and Dessers returning while John Souttar was named captain. The Ibrox crowd was more subdued than usual on a big European night, initially. In the seventh minute Plzen's lofty striker Rafiu Durosinmi headed a cross from Amar Memic past the post but it was Gassama who struck first, playing a one-two with Dessers at the edge of the visitors' box before confidently curling the ball past the goalkeeper Florian Wiegele. After the Rangers defender Nasser Djiga brilliantly blocked a goal-bound shot from the visiting captain Matej Vydra, Antman's drive from a Gassama cut-back at the other end was cleared off the line by Vaclav Jemelka. Bizarrely Raskin, warming up on the sidelines, was booked by the French referee Clément Turpin for apparently trying to interfere at a Plzen throw-in as the Czech side began to exert some pressure. However, when a driving run into the box by Antman ended with him being barged over by Vydra, Turpin pointed to the spot for a soft penalty and Dessers sent Wiegele the wrong way. Rangers started the second half strongly and within three minutes the midfielder Mohamed Diomande struck the bar with an effort from the edge of the box. However, the third soon arrived as Gassama grabbed his second when he bulleted in a header from a pinpoint Antman cross from the right to score his fourth goal in the last three European matches. Raskin, Danilo, and Tavernier all came off the bench when the job was done before the home keeper Jack Butland made a good save from a powerful drive from Memic.
