Chelsea’s Carabao Cup exit against Liverpool brought plenty of talking points, but one of the most notable came from a player who never stepped onto the pitch. Estêvão was named among the substitutes, yet his only involvement was a short warm-up, enough for a section of supporters to make their feelings known as concern over his place in the squad continues to build.

With January approaching, the questions around Estêvão are becoming harder to ignore. The Brazilian arrived with a big reputation, having made his Palmeiras debut at 16 and quickly earned a label that is often overused but, in his case, felt justified. He has long been viewed as one of the game’s most exciting prospects.

His natural position has always been on the right wing, whether at Palmeiras or during his time under former Chelsea bosses Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior. The issue this season is that the current structure does not favour that profile. Alonso’s 3-4-2-1 relies on wing-backs for width and two inside forwards behind the striker, leaving little room for a traditional winger to operate.

Pedro Neto has filled the right-sided role because of his work rate, while Estêvão himself has said he sees his future as a central attacking midfielder. Yet those two advanced midfield roles are occupied by the club’s key figures, which has left little opening for him. Even with Palmer suspended, the route into the starting line-up disappeared once Alonso moved away from a shape that used an attacking midfielder.

The result is a frustratingly thin return. Estêvão has managed only 172 minutes in all competitions so far, the same total he recorded for Brazil during the September-October international window.

The lack of game time has sparked obvious speculation, though there is no clear sign of a falling-out. After the Liverpool defeat, Alonso said: “He could be happier,” Alonso confessed after the Liverpool defeat. “He wants to play. I’m sure Estê will have his moment, it is my responsibility. We know the game in England is really intense, and you need to be up for it. Estê is in his second season. The season is going to be long.”

There are also clear concerns over his physical side, with Alonso seemingly placing more value on strength and intensity. For Chelsea, the problem is straightforward: a 19-year-old talent needs minutes to keep developing, but that opportunity is not arriving. Paris Saint-Germain have been linked, while any move would require Chelsea’s approval, as his contract runs until 2033.

Reports around Gilberto Mora’s withdrawal from Mexico duty have prompted fresh debate over where the teenager could end up next. The 17-year-old, who became the youngest player in Mexico’s World Cup history this summer, had already marked himself out by scoring his first international goal in the 1-1 draw with Colombia on Sept. 27. He then did not feature against Peru and was absent for the meeting with the USMNT before pulling out of camp.

The official line was “Physical discomfort”, but that has not stopped speculation. Mora turns 18 on Oct. 14, which makes him eligible for an overseas move, and some believe the timing of his withdrawal points to a transfer to a “major European club”. Club Tijuana are expected to receive a record Liga MX fee for his sale, while ESPN have suggested an announcement could come on his birthday next week.

With Premier League money always part of the conversation, the question is which English club would suit him best. A move to Brighton & Hove Albion or Bournemouth has not been seriously linked, while the consensus appears to be that Mora’s level already puts him in range of elite sides. Manchester United have been mentioned among the clubs monitoring him, though a deal does not appear to be on INEOS’s agenda in 2027. The club have already refreshed their midfield this summer and are expected to turn attention elsewhere next year.

Chelsea are another logical name given their habit of stockpiling young talent, with BlueCo also able to place players at Strasbourg. Even so, that pathway may not appeal if it leaves Mora’s immediate future in France. Chelsea are usually in the mix for major prospects, but the teenager may prefer a different route. Another young talent, Estêvão, is currently finding opportunities limited with Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers thriving alongside João Pedro.

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has admitted the summer transfer window brought several problems, with finance proving the biggest obstacle. United still made major additions in midfield, signing Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Carlos Baleba for a combined $209 million (£155 million), but the club also left gaps unfilled, including at left back, which left some supporters unconvinced by the overall outcome.

Carrick was clear that a perfect window was never guaranteed. Speaking to Sky Sports News, he said: “I think we’ve brought some really good players into the football club, and improved the squad in different ways, individually but collectively,” Carrick told Sky Sports News .

“I think we’ve grown. You go into the window and when you come out of it, you want to be stronger than you were at the start. I’m convinced we are that.

“Transfer windows are never straightforward and this window in particular has been challenging for different reasons. There’s a lot of money being spent in and around the league itself, and I think we’ve made the most of the situation that we’ve found ourselves in.

“That’s the world we live in. Teams at certain points are going to spend a lot of money. Sometimes it’s going to be more than what we spend, sometimes maybe not. We’ve got to make the most of what we can and understand where we’re at. I think we’re a very good team, we want to keep getting better.”

David Ornstein of The Athletic also suggested United may end up feeling short-changed by not strengthening further as they prepare to return to the Champions League. He said: “But they haven’t got an unlimited flow of cash,” Ornstein added. “They’ve got to live within relative means.”

The early part of the window underlined that point. United wanted Mateus Fernandes from West Ham United, but pulled out when Tottenham Hotspur’s $112 million (£85 million) bid was judged poor value. Santos and Tielemans then arrived for $113.1 million combined.

ESPN also reported that United looked at Mamadou Sangaré, then of Lens, before losing out to a recent trend of players choosing mid-table clubs as a route to a bigger move later. Brentford moved quickly to benefit from that situation.