Chelsea signed upcoming Brazilian playmaker Lucas Piazon from São Paulo on a pre-contract in 2011, paying a reported fee between £5 million to £10 million depending on multiple clauses. After winning the Chelsea Young Player of the Year in his first season, midway through which he obtained a work visa which made him eligible to appear for the senior team, Piazon was expected to rise to the top quickly.
Dubbed the ‘new Kaká’, Piazon scored in his second Chelsea appearance when his side faced Paris Saint-Germain in a pre-season friendly. The teenager then made his competitive debut in the League Cup clash against Wolves, where he got an assist.