Barcelona's hierarchy are reportedly filled with regret after witnessing Chelsea's teenage sensation Estevao deliver a masterclass performance in the Champions League, with club officials now describing their failure to sign the Brazilian as a 'historic mistake'.
The Rise of a Chelsea Superstar
Estevao has taken the Premier League by storm since arriving at Stamford Bridge, establishing himself as manager Enzo Maresca's most potent attacking weapon during Cole Palmer's absence. The 18-year-old Brazilian has enjoyed an outstanding start to his Chelsea career, with his recent performances drawing attention across European football.
Chelsea's strategic approach to the transfer has proven particularly shrewd. The Blues initially reached an agreement with Palmeiras to sign Estevao back in 2024, before wisely sending the young talent back to his boyhood club for further development last season.
The decision has paid dividends, with Estevao showing remarkable progress. After displaying glimpses of his extraordinary potential early in the campaign, the teenager has scored five goals in his last nine appearances for Chelsea, demonstrating consistent improvement at the highest level.
International Recognition and Barcelona's Regret
Estevao's club form has translated seamlessly to the international stage, where he has netted four times in his last four matches for Brazil. His performances have cemented his place in Carlo Ancelotti's plans ahead of the 2026 World Cup, marking him as one of football's most exciting prospects.
The youngster's brilliance was particularly evident during Chelsea's Champions League victory over Barcelona, where he managed to outshine Spanish wonderkid Lamine Yamal. His piece of solo magic to double Chelsea's lead served as a painful reminder to Barcelona executives of the talent that slipped through their fingers.
According to Spanish newspaper AS, Barcelona came 'within a hair's breadth' of signing Estevao and now deeply regret allowing the forward to join Chelsea when he was still developing at Palmeiras. The report indicates that Barcelona scouts watched Estevao on numerous occasions in Brazil, with the missed opportunity now viewed as a significant blunder at Camp Nou.
Financial Implications and Agent Revelations
The financial dimensions of Barcelona's regret are substantial. The CIES Football Observatory now values Estevao at potentially over £104 million, a staggering increase from the initial £29 million Chelsea paid Palmeiras just eighteen months ago.
Estevao's agent, Andre Cury, has revealed the extent of Barcelona's missed opportunities, explaining that he had been promoting his client to the Catalan club since 2018. 'In 2019, I took Eric Abidal to Brazil to watch one of his matches,' Cury told Cadena SER. 'You could already see when he was 11 years old that he was different.'
Cury disclosed that he had discussions with Barcelona about Estevao in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024, even meeting with sporting director Deco on multiple occasions. However, Barcelona's precarious financial situation repeatedly prevented any deal from materialising.
The agent pointed to Barcelona's handling of Vitor Roque's transfer as a contributing factor, noting that 'the atmosphere wasn't right to sign Estevao' after the club's rushed approach with Roque backfired.
Despite his current success at Chelsea, Cury revealed that Estevao maintains a 'special affection' for Barcelona and suggested the youngster could have formed a devastating partnership with Yamal, comparing the potential duo to the legendary Neymar-Messi combination.
However, with five years remaining on his Chelsea contract and the Brazilian clearly enjoying his football at Stamford Bridge, Barcelona's regret appears destined to remain as what might have been, while Chelsea reap the rewards of their strategic investment.
