Enzo could drop Madueke for “elite” teen who’s never played for Chelsea

Chelsea are there, standing near the crest of the mountain, as one of the best and most exciting teams in the Premier League.

Oh, they may not have scaled quite as high as Manchester City, Arsenal, and Liverpool, but Enzo Maresca’s ambitious plan speaks of a journey that might bear the ripest fruits in the coming years.

The fortunes at Stamford Bridge have been somewhat chequered over the past decade; there have been some low points for sure, but the highs have been lofty indeed.

Recent issues appear to have been washed away with the tide of Maresca’s project, bringing the scattergun-spent squad in together, forming a cohesive whole before bisecting it into an attack-mad Premier League team and one of the Conference League and domestic cup competitions.

Cole Palmer is still at the top, of course, but he’s been joined by several attacking stars in raising their level and then some. Nicolas Jackson is coming on leaps and bounds at number nine, while Noni Madueke is starting to look like a flanker fit for purpose at the very highest level.

Noni Madueke’s progress under Maresca’s wing

Leicester City’s first-place finish in the Championship was probably expected last season, but still told a telling tale of Maresca’s coaching acumen, thriving in his first year since dislodging himself from Pep Guardiola’s baton at Manchester City.

His fluid, possession-based play could leave a lasting imprint on Chelsea’s first team, who have been the more creative outfit, statistically, in the top flight this term.

Palmer has been brilliant, but Madueke is also starting to shine brightly. As per FBref, the England international ranks among the top 8% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals scored per 90 (0.46) and the top 8% for average pass completion (83%).

A refined goalscorer, he’s also confident enough in his feet that he can direct the ball with fluency to ensure that Maresca’s style does not suffer stop-start breaks.

Of course, he’s also a brilliant forward driver, penetrating through backlines with fast motions down the right flank, capable of stretching lines and opening circles of space for the likes of Palmer to enter and thereby wreak havoc.

It’s a fearsome frontline, with Pedro Neto, Jaden Sancho, and Mykhaylo Mudryk jockeying for power on the left wing and a whole host of youngsters also in the equation.

Madueke is only 22 and has so much scope for growth, but he may be looking over his shoulder with a certain Chelsea starlet arriving next summer.

Estevao Willian has already sparked plenty of excitement among the Blues supporter ranks, and rightly so – he might just be Brazil’s biggest talent.

Estevao Willian could displace Madueke

Okay, okay, that’s a hard claim to make. Real Madrid’s Endrick could shape into a world-beater, while Barcelona’s Vitor Roque, aged 19, is starting to find his feet in Spain, on loan with Real Betis.

But Estevao is the real deal, having posted 22 goal contributions across his first 40 senior appearances with Palmeiras, already hailed as football’s natural Lionel Messi successor by his agent Andre Crury, who has even tipped him to win the Ballon d’Or.

Excitingly, he’s borne with some of the core skills that have made Madueke so successful on the right flank, with a sharp potency besides.

His age-belying maturity has seen him post 11 goals and eight assists across 25 appearances (only 20 starts) in the 2024 Brasileiro Serie A, notably creating nine big chances and averaging 2.4 dribbles per game, as per Sofascore.

There’s every suggestion that Madueke, talented though he is, might not be able to keep up with the juggernaut in the making. Estevao has all the properties to become one of the Premier League’s standout stars.

The head of Palmeiras’ academy, Joao Paulo Sampaio, has even said this: “Estevao is the best player to have emerged from Brazilian football since Neymar. You watch him and you fall in love.”

Already blooded as a Brazil international, there sure is just cause for Chelsea fans to get excited, for Estevao was signed in a deal worth an initial £29m in May, set to link up with the Stamford Bridge crew in June 2025.

You’d posit that Chelsea have struck gold with this one before even watching him grace the Premier League with his nifty and tricky style. Of course, English football can be a volatile beast, swallowing many a high-classed prospect who believes that they can take the great game by storm, only to fall against heavyset defenders and high-paced play.

Estevao, with his athleticism, potency and flair, might just emerge as one of those at the top end of the spectrum. Though he’s still just 17 years old, the South American has everything he needs to displace the likes of Madueke on the right flank.

Of course, he will need to work on his physicality: the 5 foot 9 Estevao is a rangy and loose-limbed player, slight without being small.

Such things will be worked upon at Cobham, preparing the teenager, described as an “elite talent” by Kulig, for the major stage under Maresca’s wing.

Madueke and Estevao could cohabit on the right side of Chelsea’s exhilarating frontline, but as he begins to take big strides in his development, it would be a brave punter to bet against Estevao claiming the top spot and perhaps even rising to the very top of the European game.

He is unable to link up with the Blues until he turns 18, next year, and Maresca could ruthlessly ditch the England international in favour of the Brazilian when that time comes.