Joao Pedro is one of the only summer signings to have proved his worth at Chelsea so far this season.
Chelsea supporters have called for a new striker at times this season, as there have been periods where Liam Delap and Joao Pedro have struggled to consistently find the back of the net.
Delap certainly hasn’t hit the heights that many would have hoped, with just two goals to his name in 19 appearances in all competitions.
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Despite that, the Blues are showing no signs of looking for a striker in the remainder of the month. In fact, it’s a defender and a midfielder that is currently on the radar.
However, Pedro is already pleased with one midfielder at the club.
Joao Pedro is loving playing with Andrey Santos
Andrey Santos surpassed expectations since returning from Strasbourg. He walked off the pitch from the Crystal Palace game with the most interceptions and duels won.
Liam Rosenior has Enzo Maresca to thank for keeping Andrey Santos around, after being linked with another loan move in the summer.
Joao Pedro is certainly happy he’s here, as he spoke to Sports Illustrated on TikTok.
“I knew Andrey from the past, I went to an Adidas event, I was 17 and he was 14 or 15. Now, playing together is good for us I think, we feel very comfortable because we’ve known each other for a long time.”
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Andrey Santos is more important than people think
While he spent much of the early campaign as a rotational option under Enzo Maresca, his importance has skyrocketed due to long-term injuries to Romeo Lavia and Dario Essugo.
The one thing we forget is that he us just 21-year-old. Yet he has proven that he can thrive as both a defensive anchor and a box-to-box midfielder.
His performance against Crystal Palace highlighted another ability of his. Being able to drop in between the center-backs to create a hybrid back-five during transitions.
It doesn’t stop on the field either. Santos has helped Chelsea’s growing South American contingent, acting as a bridge for younger talents like Estevao Willian and Joao Pedro. Which is evident when you see how well Santos speaks of Estevao and likewise with Joao.
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