Estevao has not featured for Chelsea since suffering a hamstring injury during the side's 1-0 defeat away to Manchester United in mid-April.
The timing could hardly have been worse. The Brazilian teenager had been in great form before the setback which also cost him a place in Brazil's 2026 World Cup squad. Fortunately though, there is finally some encouraging news.
According to ESPN Brasil, Estevao, who is continuing his recovery in Brazil, is targeting a return in early August, which means Chelsea fans could see him back on the pitch before pre-season comes to an end.
When Estevao could make his full Chelsea return
If the latest update turns out to be accurate, Chelsea's opening pre-season fixtures against Western Sydney Wanderers on July 28 and Tottenham Hotspur on August 1 will probably arrive too soon for Estevao.
Instead, the teenager's attention is likely to turn towards the Blues' final three matches of the tour.
Chelsea face Juventus in Hong Kong on August 5, before taking on AC Milan in Jakarta three days later and Johor Darul Ta'zim on August 11.
Of those fixtures, the clash against Juventus feels like the earliest realistic opportunity for Estevao to make his return, although Chelsea's medical staff are unlikely to take any unnecessary risks with one of the club's most valuable young players.
Should the Blues' game against Juventus also come too soon, then an appearance against AC Milan or Johor Darul Ta'zim will be more achievable.
Either way, their pre-season tour schedule appears to have worked out reasonably well for Chelsea and Estevao. Xabi Alonso, who will be in total control by then, will want time to see Estevao in action before deciding on his starting XI next season.
Interesting to see what Xabi Alonso is planning
While the South American's injury update is encouraging, perhaps the more interesting question is how Alonso intends to use him once he is fully fit again.
The Spaniard's teams have always relied on fluid movement and quick transitions with wide players expected to play multiple different roles.
During his time at Bayer Leverkusen, Alonso regularly transformed wing-backs into attackers and attackers into hard-working team players. This sort of approach has the potential to unlock Estevao even further.
Estevao is a natural winger, but the new Chelsea manager may see something slightly different in him. The Brazilian's ability to carry the ball, drift into central areas and drive to the byline could make him a devastating weapon in Alonso's arsenal.
This is exactly why there will be so much interest in how Estevao is utilised during pre-season, should he manage to be fit enough to feature before Chelsea's first game in the new 2026-27 Premier League.
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