Estêvão Willian's future at Chelsea remains a hot topic, as the Brazilian international has struggled to secure playing time in the Premier League under new manager Xabi Alonso. Football.london believes Chelsea should keep him.

Brazilian media reported earlier this month that Estêvão Willian is frustrated by his lack of appearances in the first team this season.

The 2024/25 season is well underway, but the 19-year-old winger has yet to become a regular starter in the Premier League under new manager Xabi Alonso. Including injury time, he has played just 20 minutes across 3 top-flight matches this season.

Alonso dismissed claims of the teenager's dissatisfaction at a recent press conference, insisting he will play an important role for Chelsea this season. This may well be true, but the discussion surrounding Estêvão's limited playing time has not disappeared.

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As a result, Bobby Vincent and Jack Stokes from Football.london discussed and debated what they believe Estêvão should do next. Both writers eventually reached an agreement.

It is indeed a difficult question.

Of course, Chelsea must retain Estêvão. Who wouldn't want one of the most talented young players in the world playing for them? This is almost beyond question.

However, without European competition for Chelsea this season, it will be harder for squad players to earn more minutes. This also works against Estêvão, as he currently sits on the bench behind the front three.

Palmer appears to have secured the right-wing position for now. The season is still long, and injuries will bring changes, but it's not easy to break through the Palmer, Morgan Rogers, and João Pedro combination.

If rumors of Estêvão's dissatisfaction are true, it's understandable. He knows his own quality and deserves to play in top-level first-team matches. However, circumstances are not in his favor, as Palmer, Rogers, and João Pedro are all difficult to displace right now.

He could also be deployed as a wing-back, but Alonso did not seem enthusiastic when asked about this idea at a recent press conference. Alonso believes Estêvão's best position is as a winger or inverted winger, without excessive defensive responsibilities.

Chelsea must do everything to keep him, and I'm confident they will. But they may also need to convince him that he remains an integral part of Stamford Bridge's long-term plans.

Despite his current frustration, patience may yet pay off for Estêvão.

Alonso should try to ensure Estêvão gets more playing time, but he shouldn't abandon Chelsea's consistent performance-based selection culture. The 19-year-old winger undoubtedly has the ability to become one of the first names on the team sheet, and may even force The Blues' manager to adjust his system. However, before that, he must prove he can be relied upon consistently at the highest level.

Last season, Estêvão proved he could compete directly with the world's best players, performing brilliantly in crucial victories such as the Champions League win over Ajax and Barcelona, and also playing an important role in Chelsea's Premier League victory over Liverpool. However, the Brazilian international has not always been fit, suffering several minor injuries throughout the season, followed by a more serious hamstring issue in April.

Despite his outstanding talent, he has not always been available, which is crucial in today's 40, 50, or even 60-match seasons. Of course, Estêvão can only adapt to these physical demands by gradually increasing his playing time, so he needs to be used carefully.

Both he and Alonso simply need to be patient. There are still many matches to be played this season. As long as he can maintain the level he showed against Arsenal in the Premier League, rather than his performance against Leeds United in the League Cup, opportunities for the Brazilian will always come.

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