Chelsea look to have some breathing room over fellow Champions League side Newcastle United in the race for the top five this season, although reports have stated Eddie Howe’s side could have beaten the Blues to a big summer signing if Amanda Staveley was still at the club.
The Blues have had to consider Newcastle a genuine rival since their ownership takeover in 2021, however Staveley’s departure in 2024 has had an obvious effect on their performances on the pitch.
The two clubs were both linked to a number of the same players over the summer, and the Magpies secured the signing of Nick Woltermade despite early scouting from Chelsea.
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However, it was the Blues who managed to secure the services of Joao Pedro before their rivals, and are reaping the rewards of his performances so far this season.
Joao Pedro celebrating scoring for Chelsea. Pedro was linked with a move to Newcastle before he joined Chelsea.
Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Newcastle convinced they would have signed Joao Pedro ahead of Chelsea
According to the Mail Online, Newcastle have been left convinced they would have got the deal over the line for the Brazilian if they’d still had Staveley at the helm.
The Magpies were made to rue the error when he scored the equaliser for Chelsea in the 2-2 draw at St. James’ Park, and things could get much worse in the next few weeks.
Should Newcastle beat Qarabag in the Champions League play-offs, they will have a 50:50 chance of facing Chelsea in the next round, and coming up against a currently in-form Pedro.
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Joao Pedro is the signing of the summer
Despite hardly getting a rest since his move to Stamford Bridge, the Brazil international has 13 goals in all competitions so far this season.
Adding this to three crucial strikes in the latter stages of the Club World Cup, and Chelsea will be very pleased with their most expensive signing of the summer.
Plenty of strikers moved for big money over that transfer window. Woltermade, Viktor Gyokeres, Hugo Ekitike and Benjamin Sesko are amongst those names.
No one can boast more goals than Pedro though, and he is certainly the favourite for the hyperbolic ‘signing of the season’ award in the Premier League.
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