[Chelsea](https://chelseanews.com/) made a number of splash signings in the summer 2025 transfer window, but the only new attacking star who has worked out is center forward Joao Pedro. While he may not be the goal-scoring maven Blues fans dreamed of, his elite hold-up play is something this club needs to start taking advantage of.
And honestly, Chelsea could be doing a better job of taking advantage of Pedro’s ability to maintain possession, draw out defenders, draw in defenders, and run the channels.
The players who can create havoc and bring others into the game are able to define offenses, and we are seeing more top clubs like Manchester City, Real Madrid, Barcelona, and PSG competing at the highest level of the Champions League value these players.
What Pedro is missing is another striker or a left winger who can finish off the moves he starts or prolongs and bank on the quality that has enabled him to draw 1.5 fouls drawn per game with additional positive ancillary creative and dribbling statistics, including four assists.
Even though Pedro isn’t an elite scorer, his 11 goals are pacing a Chelsea team whose other players, especially Cole Palmer, are not meeting expectations in front of goal.
Chelsea did try to find those supporting players for the former Brighton star alongside him in the summer, but Liam Delap, Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, and Alejandro Garnacho have all flopped. Garnacho does not look to be at Chelsea’s level on the wing, Delap is legitimately one of the worst strikers in the Premier League this season, and Gittens is way too raw for this level now and maybe even ever.
But Pedro is a success. He is a success worth fostering and believing in with his elite ability to hold the ball up, keep it away from defenders, maintain possession, and create. On that last front, he is missing that Batman further up the pitch next to him to bank on what he’s trying to create.
Joe Soriano is the editor of _The Trivela Effect_ and a FanSided Hall of Famer who has covered world football since 2010. He’s led top digital communities like _The Real Champs_ (Real Madrid) and has run sites covering Tottenham, Liverpool, Juventus, and Schalke. He also helped manage _NFL Spin Zone_ and _Daily DDT,_ covering the NFL and pro wrestling.