Estêvão Willian Almeida de Oliveira Gonçalves, commonly known as Estêvão Willian, is a Brazilian winger born 24 April 2007.
He began his youth career at Cruzeiro, moved to Palmeiras in 2021, and made his senior debut for them in 2023.
He signed for Chelsea F.C. and joined them in 2025.
🎯 Why is he being talked about as a top winger right now?
There are several factors that contribute to the view of Estêvão as one of the most talented wingers in the Premier League (or about to be):
1. Exceptional potential and early performance
He’s fast, skilful, has great dribbling ability and low centre of gravity — attributes essential for a top winger.
Upon joining Chelsea, he quickly made an impression. He debuted in the Premier League and got praise for his composure and attacking play.
2. Strong statistical start
Early in the 2025/26 Premier League season, he was reported to be top in the league for expected assists (xA) after only two gameweeks.
He’s already placed high in the valuations of under-21 players in the Premier League, indicating how highly the market regards his ability.
3. High transfer fee / investment showing belief in his quality
Chelsea paid a significant fee for him (initials + add-ons) when signing him from Palmeiras — signalling they see him as a big part of their future.
✅ So — Can we say he is the most talented winger in the Premier League right now?
My answer: cautiously yes, with caveats.
The claim “the most talented winger in the Premier League right now” is bold. There are many elite wingers in the league (with more experience, proven records) — so saying “most talented” implies a combination of current ability and potential.
In Estêvão’s case: his potential is extremely high, the early signs are very promising, and many analysts/fans are naming him among the top young talents.
However: he is still only just entering (or about to) his first full season in the Premier League. Experience at the highest level is still limited. There will be an adaptation period (physique, tactical demands, consistency) which is normal. For example: his coach noted he must adapt when coming from South America to Europe.
🧩 What makes him stand out — key traits
Dribbling + ball control: He’s described as someone the ball “sticks to his feet” and who can evade defenders in tight spaces.
Creativity + assist potential: Being top of the expected assists stats early in the season shows he’s not just a goal-scorer but a creator.
Versatility: While mainly a winger, his agent has indicated he could play a more central attacking role (No.10) in future.
Mental readiness + big-game impact: He scored in the quarter-final of the Club World Cup for Palmeiras vs his future team Chelsea, showing he can handle pressure.
⚠️ What are the challenges / things to monitor
Physicality and adaptation: The Premier League is faster, more physical, and defensively tougher than the Brazilian league. He needs to adapt fully. Some commentators have already flagged this.
Consistency: Many young players with high potential struggle initially with consistency (performing week-in, week-out).
Competition for places: At Chelsea especially he’ll likely have to compete for starting spots against established players.
Expectation management: Being labelled “most talented” comes with huge expectations — pressure can be challenging for a teenager.
Yes — Estêvão Willian can be considered among the most talented wingers in the Premier League right now (especially considering youth and future potential). Whether he is the absolute most talented may depend on how you define “most talented” and when you judge it (right now vs over the next few years). But he absolutely deserves a spot in that conversation.
If you like, I can look up how he compares statistically (dribbles, assists, chances created) with other top Premier League wingers this season, so we can see a data-based ranking. Do you want me to do that?
