Cole Palmer and Christopher Nkunku sent £51m Chelsea warning after transfer instruction revealed
It is no secret that Chelsea have a mountain of attackers on the books. In total, Enzo Maresca has already used nine different players in the Premier League in their frontline, and that is without Jadon Sancho.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was often used in advanced areas for Leicester City under Maresca last season as well, although he has primarily been used as a No.8 at Chelsea. Enzo Fernandez is included in the initial nine after operating as a No.10 against Manchester City on the opening day.
Carney Chukwuemeka is also a player who prefers to be on the front foot and often in the hole. If he is integrated back into the squad after failing to find a new club over the summer then Maresca will also need to factor minutes in for him across competitions.
Cesare Casadei is in a similar camp and Tyrique George as an academy prospect will hope to get minutes himself, although they might primarily come from the Conference League.
Of these players, Maresca can only really use a maximum of four. One striker - primarily Nicolas Jackson and then Marc Guiu for midweek European fixtures - plus a winger either side. Then there is a call to be made on whether to use a No.10 or ask one of the No.8s to provide additional support.
Against Wolves, Cole Palmer played in the absence of Romeo Lavia in that hybrid role, tasked with linking play and progressing things through the thirds. For most of last season he was deployed on the right. Only late in the season did he really get full reign centrally, and even that was dictated to by injuries to others.
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Looking at those who can play each position, Chelsea have six players able to come from the left, including Jackson. On the right there are four options, and that doesn't count Mykhailo Mudryk, who was used there briefly in pre-season.
The centre is more contested though. Palmer, Sancho, Christopher Nkunku, and Joao Felix are all naturals behind a focal point. Mudryk was also put through the middle by Mauricio Pochettino at times in 2024. As mentioned, Chukwuemeka, Casadei, and Fernandez are potential last-ditch routes as well if Maresca does choose to shake things up.
It already appears hard to see this group of players getting ample game time across the board to continue develop and remain happy. That will be thrown into further confusion next year though.
Chelsea have already completed the signing of South America duo Kendry Paez and Estevao Willian. Both players are nominally right-sided but like to come inside. Kendry, more than his Brazilian counterpart, narrows up and works in the half-space rather wide.
Estevao, who made his senior debut for Junior Dorival this week, is more of a touchline hugger and natural winger but has a bag of tricks available. So far in Serie A this year at Palmeiras he has been able to take defenders either way, using both feet to create threat, and is providing a level of output proportionally comparable to Neymar at Santos.
That is big praise but it is also reflective of Chelsea's view of him as a club as well. They deem Estevao to be a genuine world star in the making, and that is demonstrated already for their plans for him.
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After a deal that could be worth £51million with all add-ons hit, Estevao will join up with Chelsea's senior team next summer. The goal is to get him into the first-team setup at the earliest possible opportunity. With the Club World Cup on the calendar, it might not even have to be 11 months before a competitive debut is made.
Estevao could make the journey to England even earlier than that as he looks to acclimatise. He won't turn 18 until April but the Brazilian domestic season does not fully overlap with the Premier League, which means he might be present at Cobham sooner rather than later.
He will join a stacked attack that could change yet again next summer - it will be crunch time for Mudryk and Madueke throughout as they look to prove a point against newly signed expensive teammates - but is not going to be backing down for a challenge. According to his agent, Andre Cury, the prodigious talent can work in many ways.
“He can adapt to any style of play,” Cury told UOL. “Chelsea is a club that sees Estevao playing as a No.10, for us that is important. He can develop even more playing in the middle.”
Given that Nkunku, one of the most consistent output generators in recent years across Europe at the highest level, currently does not have a defined role in the side - let alone in place of Palmer as a No.10, it is certainly something to watch out for.
Estevao will need time to get up to speed and rarely do teenagers burst onto the scene and dominate, but Chelsea will be keen to see him in action on the pitch as soon as possible. If that is going to come centrally then it is just another player in a battle to get regular minutes.