Chelsea sign João Pedro: £60 million move made official

João Pedro has officially joined Chelsea. According to The Guardian, the transfer fee is £60 million. The Brazilian forward, signed from Brighton for this amount, has agreed to a long-term deal that will keep him at the club until 2033. He is expected to join the squad for the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup in the USA.

Pedro’s first remarks reflected his embrace of the club’s vision: “Chelsea is a big club, everyone knows that. In the past, many important players played here, and it’s still the same today. When you join this team, the only thing you should think about is winning.”

Newcastle were in the race, but Pedro chose Chelsea

According to David Ornstein, Newcastle United were also interested in Pedro. However, from the outset, the 23-year-old forward only wanted to join Chelsea. His decision reflects the pull of Chelsea’s youthful project and high-performance culture.

David Luiz also had a personal influence on Pedro’s decision: “I’m close with David Luiz. We didn’t talk directly about Chelsea, but we talked about my career. He helped me understand how to grow as a player,” he said.

Sky Sports: Brighton were not planning to sell, but circumstances accelerated the move

Brighton had no intention of selling Joao Pedro during the summer. However, the player’s ambition to compete at the highest level in Europe and raise his profile ahead of the upcoming World Cup led the club to reassess their stance. According to Sky Sports, a training ground bust-up with Jan Paul van Hecke following Pedro’s red card in the match against Brentford was also a factor that accelerated the departure. As always, Brighton upheld their principle of allowing players to leave when their valuation is met.

Following these developments, Brighton changed their stance, and head coach Fabian Hürzeler welcomed the player’s departure: “This is a good move for all parties. We have a strong squad in the attacking department, and Pedro’s transfer will give us the opportunity to invest. For him, it means a chance to play in the Champions League and establish himself in the Brazil national team. It’s the right timing for everyone.”

Another transfer between Brighton and Chelsea

This move marks the fourth major transfer between Brighton and Chelsea in recent years. Marc Cucurella, Moisés Caicedo and Robert Sánchez previously joined the Blues, while Levi Colwill spent a season on loan at Brighton. This close relationship played a role in the swift completion of the Pedro deal.

Watford to receive sell-on profit

Pedro joined Brighton from Watford in a £35 million deal in the summer of 2023. As per a clause in that deal, 20% of the profit from Brighton’s sale of Pedro to Chelsea will go to Watford. This will provide a significant financial boost to the Championship side.

Last season, Joao Pedro featured in 27 Premier League matches, scoring 10 goals and providing 6 assists. He played as a centre-forward in 16 of those matches, but also featured as a left winger, second striker and attacking midfielder. This versatility makes him an attacking asset capable of fitting into multiple systems. His movement around the penalty area, timed off-the-ball runs and ability to link play make him not just a finisher but also a creative contributor during build-up play.

Analysing Pedro’s strengths and tactical fit

Standing at 1.88m, Joao Pedro combines physical strength with technical skill to offer a unique forward profile. While naturally a centre-forward, he has frequently played as a left winger, second striker and number 10 throughout his time at Brighton and Watford. This versatility allows him to operate effectively in a variety of systems. Pedro’s ball control and passing in tight spaces are of a high standard. His dribbling allows him to glide past defenders, and he often positions himself between the lines to act as a passing outlet. He creates space for himself and his teammates with his movement around the box and can drag defenders out of position without the ball.

Despite his height, he is a remarkably agile player with excellent ball control. Although he occasionally shows lapses in concentration, he remains active and involved throughout the game. He’s also adept at dropping into midfield to receive the ball and link up play. His passing quality sets him apart from typical target men. Pedro can shield the ball well in tight spaces and uses his long legs to launch dangerous counter-attacks when space opens up. While not an instinctive poacher, he consistently manages to get into scoring positions. Since joining Brighton, he has significantly improved his ability to hold the ball with his back to goal. He tends to favour placed finishes, though his aerial game still needs work. His high football IQ allows him to set up important chances for teammates, using clever body feints to outmanoeuvre defenders. He’s still only 23 and could refine his finishing under Maresca’s guidance.

Pedro’s potential role under Maresca

Pedro’s role at Chelsea will depend on the club’s forward depth and Enzo Maresca’s tactical approach. In the short term, he has a strong chance of breaking into the starting eleven. His standout trait is his positional flexibility. With his link-up play, ball protection and passing range, he could evolve into a forward who both scores and creates. In Maresca’s possession-based, space-oriented attacking model, Pedro’s versatility could see him deployed effectively in both central and wide areas. A potential front four involving João Pedro leading the line, Enzo Fernández in midfield, Cole Palmer as the number 10, and Pedro Neto on the right could form a young but intelligent attacking structure.