Palmeiras coach Abel Ferreira has urged winger Estevao Willian to give his future Chelsea team-mates an early glimpse of his devastating talent.
The 18-year-old is set to face the Blues in the Club World Cup on Friday night (2am Saturday, UK) in what could be his final match for the Brazilian side before moving to Stamford Bridge.
The highly-rated Estevao agreed a deal to join Chelsea last year and will do so after his involvement in the current tournament in the United States ends.
Ferreira hopes he can go out on a high and in the process help dump out Chelsea when the two sides meet in their quarter-final at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field.
The Portuguese coach said: “We, him and the club – everyone knew this could happen during the negotiations. Everyone knew he could play.
“I don’t have to say anything. He knows what he needs to do tomorrow. He has to do his job. I hope he gives his best for the owners of Chelsea and they look at him and his potential and all the quality he has.
“It will be an opportunity for him to show how good he is. We will expect his best, the maximum in attack and defence and maybe he will score a goal to give a goodbye for our fans.
“We helped him to grow as a man and a professional. It could be a moment to give him a goodbye with one amazing game, maybe with one goal.”
Ferreira has urged Philadelphia’s sports fans to get behind Palmeiras for the July 4 encounter.
He said: “It will be a good opportunity for the locals to join with us against the English. Tomorrow it is Independence Day against the English. Join us, we need your support!”
Tournament organiser FIFA has confirmed the match will be preceded by a minute’s silence for Diogo Jota, the Liverpool forward who has died along with his brother Andre Silva, also a professional footballer, following a car accident in Spain.
Ferreira, 46, who used to play for Silva’s club Penafiel, said: “This is very sad news. I would like to give my condolences to the family and friends of these two amazing athletes.
“I always tell my players we should live in the moment. We need to be thankful and enjoy life, as we never know what is going to happen tomorrow.”
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