Estevao thankful for two teammates as he names his 'biggest challenge' since joining Chelsea
In this story:
Estevao Willian has expressed his gratitude towards two Chelsea teammates, Joao Pedro and Andrey Santos, who have made it much easier for him to adapt to life in "cold" England.
Estevao arrived at Chelsea earlier in August after previously agreeing a deal reportedly worth an initial fee of £29m with Palmeiras over the winger's transfer in May 2024.
It is safe to say that the 18-year-old has instantly established himself as one of the most important players in the team.
He has yet to cement himself as a regular starter, mostly due to Chelsea's desire to give him time to adapt, but both Enzo Maresca and his successor, Liam Rosenior, have often relied on the teenager's firepower in big games.
It is undoubtedly a wise decision for Chelsea to be cautious in managing Estevao in his first season, given that the player himself has admitted it has not been a smooth ride.
"The hardest challenge has been the weather, I even saw snow for the first time recently," the young winger admitted to Chelsea's in-house media team when speaking about his struggles.
"The sun and heat are standard almost all year in Brazil, but even when it’s cold there, it’s nothing like the temperatures here!
"The winter has been cold, but even though it’s very different from Brazil, I’m getting used to it.
"My family have been very important over this time. Over Christmas, for example, I was with them, and it was great because we were together."
Estevao also spoke about his Brazilian compatriots, whose presence has made his adjustment period a lot easier.
"Those two have been a huge part of my journey here," he said when speaking about Joao Pedro and Santos.
"They've been fundamental to my development so far.
"I'd say we've been pretty inseparable. Without them, I'm sure it would have been much harder to adjust.
"So, I'm really grateful."
Gerry Crisandy is a freelance writer who has covered Chelsea for many years. His work has been published on The Chelsea Chronicle and Pride of London. He grew up idolising Michael Ballack and is a firm believer in expected goals.