Chelsea Told to Be Patient with Estevao as Xabi Alonso Plans for New Season

Chelsea icon Eden Hazard has urged the club and its supporters to remain patient with Estevao Willian, insisting the young Brazilian has all the qualities needed to become a major success at Stamford Bridge.

The 19-year-old winger arrived from Palmeiras last summer and made an encouraging impression during his first season in English football. Despite showing flashes of his enormous potential, Chelsea carefully managed his playing time under former head coach Enzo Maresca, who was keen to avoid placing too much physical strain on the teenager during his debut campaign.

Although Estevao produced several eye-catching performances, his progress was disrupted by injuries during the second half of the season. After spending an extended spell on the sidelines, the Brazilian suffered a serious grade four hamstring injury towards the end of the campaign, ruling him out of Brazil’s World Cup squad and bringing a frustrating end to an otherwise promising first year in west London.

Hazard believes Chelsea should avoid placing unrealistic expectations on the talented forward and instead allow him the time to fully recover and continue his development. The Belgian legend is confident Estevao possesses the technical ability and creativity to become one of the club’s standout players if his progress is handled correctly.

With Xabi Alonso now leading Chelsea into a new era, Estevao will be hoping to return to full fitness in time to feature in the Spaniard’s plans. The upcoming season could provide the ideal opportunity for the highly-rated winger to build on his early promise and establish himself as a key figure in Chelsea’s long-term project.