By Charles Mgbolu
Sixteen-year-old Brazilian winger Estevao Willian is a hot item with leading European football clubs in a race to get him on board during the January transfer window.
Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, and Real Madrid are reportedly hoping his talents could fortify their attack, as the young player is a great forward.
FIFA, in raving reviews, says he is ‘’gifted with the ball at his feet.’’
Who is Estevao Willian?
Estevao was born on April 24, 2007, in Franca, a municipality in the state of São Paulo, Brazil.
He stands at 1,76 m with a slim build and lunges at defenders mostly from the right wing.
Estavao currently plays for the U20 team of SE Palmeiras in São Paulo and won the Copinha U-21 tournament in January 2023 with the team.
The 16-year-old, nicknamed ‘Messinho’ or 'Little Messi', has won two Brazilian championships and the Brazilian Cup.
His talent was picked up at such a young age that he couldn’t even sign a professional contract when he played in the Copinha tournament at age 15.
“I’m having a very good season. I won a lot of trophies. I’ve been rewarded for what I’ve been doing at Palmeiras, and today I’m here playing for Brazil, scoring and providing assists,” Willian told FIFA.
French side Paris Saint-Germain have made a bid for him with a €50 million ($53 million) in recent months, according to Forbes.
FC Barcelona too have strong interest in signing this Palmeiras jewel and are keenly watching his progress, according to reports. They may be in luck as Estevao 'Messinho' Willian says it has always been his "dream" to play for Barca, and follow in the footsteps of his idol, Lionel Messi.
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