Estevao Willian has been advised to consider leaving Chelsea in search of regular football after slipping down Xabi Alonso’s attacking pecking order.

The Brazilian was expected to build on an impressive debut season in England, but opportunities have been extremely limited in 2026/27.

He is yet to start a Premier League game, with Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers, Pedro Neto and other attacking options all ahead of him.

That has inevitably raised questions about whether a January loan could be the best solution.

Scott Sinclair believes Estevao needs regular football

Former Chelsea winger Scott Sinclair, speaking in comments reported by Metro, believes Estevao’s development must now take priority over simply remaining at Stamford Bridge.

‘As a young player, all you want to do is play football,’ Sinclair said.

‘In my experience, having been on loan six times during my spell at Chelsea, you just want to be playing for your parent club.

‘But when you aren’t, you have to go out on loan to gain experience and game time.

‘The longer you go without playing, the less match-fit you become, which makes it even harder to get into the side when an opportunity arises and that leads to doubt.

‘Only Estevao can decide what is best for him, but because he is so young, getting consistent game time is essential and having been in the same position, I’d say he should go and play.’

A loan makes far more sense than Chelsea exit

Sinclair’s argument is difficult to dismiss when looking at Estevao’s current role.

Chelsea’s official player profile shows that he has made four Premier League appearances this season without a start and has accumulated only 23 league minutes.

He was also left unused during Chelsea’s 2-0 win at Everton on Saturday despite being named on the bench.

That is not enough football for a 19-year-old who is already a full Brazil international and was one of Chelsea’s brightest young attackers last season.

However, a permanent departure would feel unnecessarily drastic.

Estevao remains an exceptional prospect and is tied to Chelsea long term. The issue is not whether he has the quality to succeed at Stamford Bridge, but whether Alonso currently has enough opportunities to develop him properly.

A carefully chosen January loan, ideally to a club where he would start regularly, could therefore benefit everyone.

Chelsea should protect the player rather than block his development. Six months of meaningful football could leave them with a much more complete winger next season.