Chelsea cannot ignore £51m transfer question any longer and Enzo Maresca knows it

As fate would have it, Chelsea will face Estevao Willian at the Club World Cup. If the 18-year-old was feeling butterflies about the move before this, then spare a thought for his feelings now.

In a twist of chance that relied upon Chelsea and Palmeiras both qualifying for the knockout stages but finishing in opposing positions in their groups, and then winning competitive last-16 ties, the early meeting between player and club will come on Saturday. For Estevao, there will be understandable conflict.

This could be his last match for Palmeiras, the team where he made his name and achieved greatness despite being a kid. He will bank the Brazilians a minimum of £29million in transfer fees with the potential for that to rise to £51million if all add-ons are met.

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Given how the teenager is viewed across the world, it would not be a surprise if he was to ensure most of that figure is paid out by the end. Chelsea will have no problem in stumping up if needs be. It will mean he has been incredibly successful.

But before attention is placed on what Estevao will do at Stamford Bridge, he must first attempt to knock his new side out. After starring in the first two group matches (against Porto and Al Ahly), he will pose a question for the Chelsea defence.

Although Estevao has been used across the frontline, his starting spot on the left was something new as Palmeiras beat rivals Botafogo on Saturday evening. They defeated the Paris Saint-Germain conquerors.

That itself is a message to Chelsea that they will not be able to take this lightly. Flamengo, another Brazilian Serie A giant, are the only team to stop Chelsea winning so far in America, and did so with rousing intensity and energy which could come from being halfway through their domestic season rather than at the climax of it.

Palmeiras will also ask serious questions of Chelsea. Benfica were largely passive in Charlotte and needed the help of a near two-hour break to knock Enzo Maresca's men off course of reaching the quarter final.Had the game not been disrupted, it was heading in one direction after 85 minutes of comfortable but strong football.

Chelsea's weaknesses were exposed when play resumed as Benfica came all out to find an equaliser and they were rewarded. Had Maresca been more active with his substitutions then Chelsea might have found themselves out of sight by that point.

Regardless, three extra-time goals capped off a dramatic finish and also set up the much-anticipated Estevao battle to come. For Maresca, he will now be fielding more and more questions around the player most likened to Neymar.

That is already high praise, but for good reason. Estevao has eclipsed Neymar's output in Brazil at the same stage of his career. He is going to Europe three years earlier than the former Barcelona and PSG winger, but with plenty of hype.

Estevao is not the same player as Neymar but is generating hype of comparable proportions, at least from Chelsea fans. For many, this tournament has been a first chance to really watch him.

Porto were the first European side he had ever faced. Estevao passed that test and some of the Club World Cup results to date suggest that his performances and contribution in Brazil might actually translate more favourable than had been first imagined.

The quality of the two leagues are starkly different but if Estevao can do it against Champions League level opponents then he is clearly a danger and someone who will be useful for Chelsea sooner than might have been expected. That is not to say Estevao will walk into this Chelsea team.

He will be up against Pedro Neto on the right. He is having a strong 2025 and faces competition himself from Noni Madueke, who was maybe the best natural winger in 2024.

Centrally, where Estevao might end up later on, is Cole Palmer. Maresca has not been thinking much about where Estevao fits in at Chelsea, he said dismissively earlier this month, but he won't be able to shrug it off for long.

Chelsea, Palmeiras, and Estevao have been separate enough so far this tournament so as to be able to keep the distance. "Now, if Estevao is doing well, we are happy," Maresca said prior to the group stage. "But in this moment he's doing well for another team. Hopefully he can do well for us when he joins."

Maresca will now be watching closely, maybe even as closely as he ever has. If Estevao has remained firmly on his periphery up to now, he can't be anymore. From this week, Estevao is not someone to think of as part of Chelsea's future for Maresca, but a key part of Palmeiras' team he has to shut down on Saturday morning.

In the build-up, there will no doubt be questions asked about Estevao and what is to come. Maresca will not be able to get away with pushing things further downstream this time.

As for Estevao, it is a chance to impress, to create history, and to finish a chapter all in one. He will both win and lose no matter what happens in the game.

If he starts on the right then it will surely be against Marc Cucurella, one of the world's most in-form full-backs (even if there are still questions over his defensive solidity). It might be his biggest challenge so far but is one that will stand him in good stead ahead of moving to England.

Just how close that move is will be partially determined by the result here.For the first and last time, Estevao and Chelsea will be hoping for opposing outcomes. Beyond that, it is a combination which could define the coming years in European football.