Pat Nevin has urged Estevao Willian not to waste his career and insisted that he would not be surprised if the winger left Chelsea in the near future.
Estevao’s time at Chelsea could become a major talking point in the coming months, as the winger continues to struggle for regular game time. Seven games into the league season, he has not started a single match and has made five substitute appearances.
The youngster was an unused substitute in the weekend victory over Everton, while his future has become a subject of interest for clubs monitoring the situation. Several top teams are reportedly interested in Estevao ahead of future transfer windows, including Barcelona, who are keen to explore a potential move.
Liverpool were briefly linked with the winger during the summer and could remain in the race over the next few windows. Estevao, for his part, was not interested in leaving and could maintain that stance as he continues to fight for his place.
Pat Nevin’s message to Estevao Willian
Former Chelsea player Pat Nevin has urged Estevao not to waste his career and insisted that he would not be surprised if the winger left the club in the near future. Although Nevin’s comments in The Sun appeared to encourage the frustrated Chelsea prodigy to seek a new challenge elsewhere, he also offered a balanced assessment of the situation at the club.
Nevin said, “I wouldn’t be surprised. Now it’s not exactly you should leave, go now. But your career only lasts a certain amount of time, and you need a lot of games under your belt. And by the time you’re 20, 21, you kind of want a couple of hundred.
“If you’re really top level, that’s who you are. You’re not getting bits of games here and there; you are an established player.
“And the real great players tend to have that. Started very early, which he did, have great talent, which he has, and then plays a lot of games and understands the importance of life within a game.
“And it’s a bit of a shame because it’s not happening. So I wouldn’t be shocked if he looks elsewhere to get a game.”
Meanwhile, Nevin offered a balanced view of the situation at the club and insisted that Estevao could still have an important role to play despite his limited playing time.
Nevin continued, “On the other hand, if you’re Chelsea, you think, what happens if Rogers or Palmer get injured? We need somebody.
“And it’s the classic difficult situation that players in the modern game find themselves in.
“But a player of that talent, don’t waste it on benches all your life. I get a feeling he won’t.”
The main issue for Estevao is the change in system since Xabi Alonso took charge as Chelsea’s new manager in the summer. The Spaniard rarely uses traditional wingers in his system, which is one of the main reasons the frustrated Chelsea prodigy has struggled to establish himself.
More importantly, Estevao is only returning from a serious injury that ruled him out of the World Cup, so his workload is being managed carefully. However, from a long-term perspective, the player, who cost Chelsea around £50 million, represents a significant investment. It is now up to Alonso to find a way to use him rather than allow his talent to go to waste because of a tactical issue.