It’s been just under six months since Estevao rocked up at Chelsea but he’s already lighting Stamford Bridge up like few would have expected, establishing a deep relationship with the fans in the process.
Enzo Maresca has done fantastically to manage his minutes, bringing him off the bench and allowing him to influence the game against some already tired legs. His performance in the 3-0 win over Barcelona on Tuesday (November 25) feels like a genuine breakout, however.
Estevao is now the third teenager to score in his first three Champions League games, alongside Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe. So, is he already Chelsea’s best attacker?
How good was Estevao against Barcelona?
Sorry to any Barcelona fans that might be reading this, but it would be impossible for us to talk about the youngster without going into his incredible display in the win over the Blaugrana and how he outshone Lamine Yamal.
Estevao passed the eye test with flying colours, scoring a goal that the great Eden Hazard would have been proud of, but his underlying numbers are just as impressive. Not only did he create the most chances (3), but he also had eight touches in the opposition box and scored his goal from an xG of just 0.13.
He wasn’t a constant threat, but when he had the ball, Barcelona defenders had no answer. Pau Cubarsi, probably the best young centre back on the planet, was completely lost when Estevao ran at him before smashing it beyond Joan Garcia.
All the talk before and after the game was about Estevao vs Yamal, not Chelsea vs Barcelona. They’re only 18, so don’t read too much into that, but it feels like a rivalry that will be spoke about for years to come. Estevao won the battle, now he needs to worry about the war.
What are Estevao’s Premier League numbers looking like?
As we mentioned, Maresca has used Estevao sparingly in the Premier League. The Brazilian has only started four of his ten league games, yielding a total of 340 minutes, with his only goal being the winner in Chelsea’s 2-1 victory over Liverpool, before they became truly awful.
Despite that, his numbers make him one of Chelsea’s biggest threats. He leads the way for successful dribbles per 90 minutes with 3.7, well above second placed Pedro Neto, who is keeping him out of the team at 1.9.
He also has 0.47 expected assist per 90, the most amongst his teammates, and the joint highest shots on target per 90 at 1.1, alongside one of the first names on Maresca’s team sheet, Enzo Fernandez.
‘All of that is great, but is he doing the dirty work too?’ we hear you say. Yes, he is. Estevao is an intense presser that isn’t afraid to stick a leg in when he needs to, winning possession in the final third three times, making eight tackles, and 17 recoveries.
Verdict
When it comes to whether Estevao is Chelsea’s best attacker or not, there is a very large Cole Palmer shaped elephant in the room. The lanky genius has been an absolute revelation since joining from Man City, but his ongoing injury issues mean we’ve seen very little of him so far this season.
Neto has been great too, and he’s a clear Maresca favourite largely due to his work rate, although he is starting to find some end product at Chelsea.
So, Estevao has been a fantastic addition at Chelsea, and the fans have every right to believe in the hype. He’s nowhere near the finished product, but perhaps that’s what make it all so exciting.
To say he’s Chelsea’s best forward, however, might be a step too far, for now at least.