South American football expert Tim Vickery has warned Chelsea that Estevao may already be “looking for a way out” with the “next Neymar” linked with Paris Saint-Germain.

Estevao impressed with eight goals and four assists in his debut Blues season. He wasn’t in the side all the time, but looked a nightmare for defenders often when he was.

But this season, the Brazilian has been given only 47 minutes in the Premier League. In the League Cup round of 16, with Chelsea and Liverpool locked at 1-1, Estevao did not see the light of day.

Vickery feels it might not be long before the wide man – who has been linked with a move to PSG – leaves Stamford Bridge.

He said on talkSPORT: “It’s a real worry now. We were all congratulating him for choosing Chelsea and not going to Real Madrid and perhaps not getting a game.

“Everything last season went exactly as planned… we know he chose Chelsea, as in negotiations, Chelsea were more open to playing him as a number 10.

“He doesn’t want to be stuck on the wing, he wants to move infield and you were thinking, yeah, Cole Palmer. But then they go and buy Morgan Rogers as well.

“Obviously, Xabi Alonso is not his greatest fan.

“You wonder if he fits in the system. He can defend, he can work up and back, but you don’t really want him as a wing-back.

“So, nothing is going well and obviously, he doesn’t have to stay there forever and it wouldn’t surprise me if he was looking for a way out now.

“It’s a huge disappointment, not only for him, for Brazil, but for Chelsea fans who fell in love with him last season.”

Estevao will be looking elsewhere

Vickery feels Estevao will be looking at other clubs, though there won’t be many who can afford to exciting Brazilian.

He said: “There’s only a handful of clubs that can afford him.

“That’s one of the problems when you get to that level – who can afford him? Any of those clubs would be delighted.

“He is an amazing talent. I remember when he was back at Palmeiras, the coach said: ‘This lad is different to anything I have ever seen.’

“He’s the most talented thing to come out of football since Neymar. I’ll include Vini Jr. in that and he seems quite balanced as well.

“He’s the next Neymar but without any of the baggage.

“So I’m sure there will be no shortage of big candidates who would want him, although that’s not a very long list of clubs who can afford him.”