Carlo Ancelotti has sent a clear message to Chelsea, warning that a lack of playing time could hamper the growth of one of Brazil's brightest young stars.
While "Don Carlo" admitted his former club's handling of these prodigies isn't ideal, he insisted it won't stop him from keeping a close eye on Estevão Willian.
The Brazil head coach was speaking about the challenges facing his squad ahead of two friendlies in Asia, with several young players struggling to establish themselves as regular starters at club level.
While Ancelotti would prefer his players to be getting more minutes, he believes there is still a positive to take from their lack of involvement.
"It would be better if they were getting minutes, not so much because of their current form, but for their development. But we can say they’re arriving fresh, rested. They can put in a good performance for us."
Estevao has been a particular talking point at Chelsea this season, with the teenager still waiting for a consistent run of opportunities under Xabi Alonso.
He was handed a start in the impressive victory over Manchester United, where he showed glimpses of his quality, but was subsequently dropped for last week's defeat to Sunderland. The lack of regular involvement is raising questions about how his development will be affected.
However, Ancelotti has made it clear that Chelsea's team selection will not dictate whether Estevao remains part of Brazil's plans.
"What we expect from Estevao is for him to show the qualities he has. We’ll keep following him. Even if he doesn’t play a single minute at Chelsea, we’ll keep following."
"Until we decide he’s no longer useful to the national team. As long as we think he’s useful, we’ll follow him and give him opportunities to develop as a 19-year-old. We have different objectives to Chelsea."
That final point is particularly interesting, as having different objectives does not necessarily mean either approach is in the player's best interests. So, who is right?
Chelsea must prioritise results and competition for places, while Brazil have a different responsibility to nurture and develop the next generation of international talent.
For Estevao, international football could therefore provide a valuable opportunity to continue his development and gain experience, even if regular minutes at Stamford Bridge remain difficult to come by.
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