Why Estevão Is Becoming Chelsea’s Biggest Threat in Attack?

It’s hard to believe that Estevão has been at Chelsea for less than six months. The teenager arrived with excitement but also huge expectations. What no one expected was how quickly he would light up Stamford Bridge and win over the fans. Enzo Maresca deserves credit too, he has introduced the youngster patiently, using him from the bench against tired defenders and giving him the freedom to express himself.

But after Chelsea’s 3-0 win over Barcelona, the question has changed. It’s no longer “Is Estevão ready?”
It’s becoming, “Is he already their best attacker?”

The Barcelona Breakout

Against Barcelona, Estevão produced the kind of performance that feels like a career turning point. He looked fearless, sharp and mature beyond his age. His goal scored after weaving past Pau Cubarsí, carried shades of prime Eden Hazard. Cubarsí, one of the most promising young centre-backs in Europe, simply had no answer.

And the numbers behind the highlight are just as eye-catching:

• Most chances created: 3

• 8 touches inside the Barcelona box

• Goal scored from only 0.13 xG

He didn’t get the ball every second, but whenever he did, Barcelona felt the panic. The comparison with Lamine Yamal was unavoidable, and for one night at least, Estevão clearly came out on top. Both are still only 18, but this felt like the beginning of a long rivalry we’ll talk about for years.

Premier League Impact, Small Minutes, Big Influence

Maresca has used him carefully in the Premier League, just 340 minutes so far but that hasn’t stopped him from climbing to the top of Chelsea’s attacking metrics.

Per 90 minutes, Estevão leads the squad in:

• Successful dribbles: 3.7 (next best is Pedro Neto with 1.9)

• Expected assists: 0.47

• Shots on target: 1.1

That’s elite output for any Premier League forward, let alone a teenager. His underlying numbers show a complete threat, he ranks in the 97th percentile for touches in the opponent’s box, 99th percentile for successful take-ons, and 98th percentile for combined xG + xAG.

And for those who worry about defensive effort, he’s delivering there too. Estevão has won possession in the final third three times, made eight tackles, and completed 17 recoveries. This is a winger who works both ways.

Is He Chelsea’s Best Attacker Yet?

That’s where things get tricky. Cole Palmer’s talent can’t be ignored. When fit, Palmer remains Chelsea’s most influential attacker, but injuries have made it difficult to compare the two this season. Pedro Neto has also impressed with his pressing and discipline, fitting Maresca’s system perfectly.

So while Estevão is not yet Chelsea’s undisputed No.1 attacker, he is very much in the conversation, and rising fast.

What makes Estevão’s story even more exciting is that he’s nowhere near his peak. He’s learning the league, adjusting to a new environment, and still producing numbers that match Europe’s top attackers. Chelsea fans have every reason to believe in the hype.