Chelsea are in negotiations with Palmeiras about signing winger Estevao Willian for €40m (£34m), according to Goal Brasil.

The website claims that the Blues have “opened talks” regarding a transfer, having proposed to pay €20m upfront and another €20m in add-ons.

However, despite the significant sum being offered for a player who has made just ONE senior appearance, the structure of the deal is not acceptable to Palmeiras.

Goal report that the Brazilian club are demanding that Chelsea trigger his €45m (£39m) release clause so they can get the full amount without any strings attached. That is because they only own 70% of the player’s rights with Estevao and his agent having the remaining 30%.

Why are Chelsea prepared to pay so much for Estevao?

The 16-year-old turned heads with his performances at the Under 17 World Cup back in November. He scored 3 goals and contributed 3 assists in 5 appearances as Brazil made it to the quarter-finals.

Estevao already has a nickname – “Messinho” which can be roughly translated as “Little Messi” – as many see similarities in playing style between the youngster and the Argentinian legend.

Chelsea could face competition from major rivals to sign the player

Three other clubs have reportedly made enquiries for Estevao. Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona are all said to be interested in signing the Brazilian but talks with those teams have not progressed beyond the preliminary stages after being told by Palmeiras to pay the buyout fee.

For now, it appears that Chelsea are the only club in serious contention to secure the teenager’s signature. From the sound of things, though, there is a long way to go before an agreement is reached.

It should also be pointed out that Estevao would only be able to move to Europe when he turns 18. That means the earliest fans would get to see the player in a Chelsea shirt would be the summer of 2026.