12 Sept 2026 12:06 BST |
4 min read
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Fabrizio Romano has delivered an update on Estevao’s position at Chelsea amid claims that he is not happy with his role at the club.
New manager Xabi Alonso has installed a 3-4-3 formation at Stamford Bridge which promises to limit the young Brazilian’s impact, not least because the Blues boast two of the best No.10s in the Premier League in the form of Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers.
Reports that the 19-year-old has grown unsettled after a year at the London club have emerged with this as the background, but while Romano did not outright deny these claims, he did indicate that Chelsea are having no thoughts about selling the teenager.
Speaking on YouTube, he explained: “There were some stories about Estevao being unhappy, about Estevao being sad about his game time at Chelsea. Estevao started against Leeds in the Carabao Cup, first of all, but at the same time, Chelsea keep believing Estevao is going to be a superstar in the future, a top player for their project.
“Chelsea are backing Estevao, Chelsea are tracking Estevao. Again, it’s just the start of the season. There is no panic at all around the situation.”
The transfer insider did concede, however, that there are complications with the situation at the club.
“Obviously, it’s a season without European football, so there is less space and less game time for some players. It’s absolutely obvious. It’s also the start of something new, so don’t forget that,” Romano said.
“Xabi Alonso also wants to find guarantees when he’s picking his team, and so he can’t always risk something. Obviously, they are starting a completely different tactical process as well at Chelsea. So there are several reasons why maybe you don’t see Estevao and Geovany Quenda starting week in, week out. It’s part of the game.”
Could Estevao leave Chelsea on loan?
Estevao faces a real fight for playing time, not just because of the competition at Chelsea but because of the system that Alonso has so far favoured.
He may ultimately be forced to leave on loan for the second half of the season.
According to the Career Advice tool of SciSports, there are some interesting options in this regard when seeking maximum playing time.
AC Milan and Inter Milan both look like strong possibilities, with five stars for playing time and three stars for development, though it is the Rossoneri who score better overall as their system suits Estevao better.
Fulham, Everton and Crystal Palace are among the Premier League sides that score five stars for playing time.
It is still a long way from reaching that stage with Estevao, but the young attacker is ambitious and clearly wants to make a mark at Chelsea as soon as possible.
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