Brighton’s João Pedro remains a target for many top-five finishing clubs, including Newcastle United and Chelsea. The Brazilian made his move to the Seagulls just two years ago and has scored 30 goals since. His contributions played a major role in the club’s eighth-place finish last season and stint in Europe the year prior.
Chelsea Considers Brighton’s João Pedro as a Target
Initial Contact Has Already Started
Interest in Pedro continues as Enzo Maresca’s side sees him as a target. Fabrizio Romano confirmed that the club highly appreciates the Brighton star and has included him on their shortlist. Romano also adds that initial contact has taken place, and the Conference League winners were informed that the player can leave.
This news comes days after Newcastle had already approached, as they look to strengthen their squad. Both Chelsea and Newcastle have Champions League football to offer, but playing time at St James’ Park may be a deciding factor.
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A deal for Pedro would be Chelsea’s fifth of the summer, which includes Liam Delap and Dario Essugo arriving at Stamford Bridge. The attacker would also join a long list of players on the books of the Blues, as they set up for a busy summer.
HowJoãoPedro Could Eventually Suit Chelsea
Despite being seen as a striker, Pedro has much more to his game than being a one-dimensional goalscorer. He uses these attributes to thrive in Fabian Hurzeler’s system, further showing how well-rounded he is. One example of this is his ability to drop deep in build-up and help progression. This provides an overload, as a result of the numerical advantage and allows Brighton to control games.
In addition, you can see these abilities clearly in his statistical output. He is in the top five percentile for both progressive passes and carries within the Premier League, which further exemplifies his talent.
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In addition to this, Pedro is also able to register high numbers in front of goal. His time at the Amex Stadium has seen him reach numbers of 40 goals and assists in two seasons. Therefore, being able to affect games in multiple different ways is another strength.
As a result, Pedro could certainly be a good option for Chelsea. He’s not an out-and-out nine, and this would offer versatility and adaptability to Chelsea’s system. However, with a £70m evaluation, it could be costly, especially when there are other profiles available to back up Cole Palmer.