Joao Pedro has most probably been Chelsea’s best player this season. While the club’s transfer business last summer faced heavy scrutiny, they certainly got it right with the Brazilian forward. Since he was at Brighton & Hove Albion, many fans were apprehensive about the move.
But while Chelsea’s dealings with Brighton have been criticised, they have been some of the best transfer business they have done under BlueCo. Moises Caicedo, Marc Cucurella, Robert Sanchez and Pedro are all starters for the Blues.
Pedro has scored 23 goals and provided nine assists in his 51 appearances for Chelsea so far. And one would imagine that those numbers could improve further if the rest of the team starts performing better.
Rumours have been doing the rounds though that Barcelona sporting director Deco has travelled to London to talk to his agents. Pedro is believed to be the alternative in case they fail to sign Julian Alvarez, who has incidentally been linked with Chelsea as well.
Chelsea not interested in Pedro exit but what does the Brazilian think?
It is believed that Chelsea would not entertain the idea of Pedro leaving. He is viewed as an important part of the project. But what does the player think, with no Champions League football next season?
According to Nizaar Kinsella, Pedro is also understood to be happy at Chelsea. But he is not satisfied with the club’s current league position. He grew up watching the Premier League, which is why he chose Watford, and when he says it is a dream to play for the Blues, he means it.
Barcelona may admire him, but they are aware he is not a viable target. As a result, the La Liga champions have other strikers in mind.
Pedro to Barcelona rumour seems off the mark
So, it does not look like a move to Barcelona is on the cards for Pedro. At the end of the day, he signed a long-term contract with Chelsea just last summer. So, the Blues have all the leverage.
The only way a move could happen is if Chelsea wanted to let him leave or if Pedro was desperate for an exit. In this instance, neither of the two seems to be the case.
So, expect Pedro to be playing in a Chelsea shirt next season. And who knows, if the club are able to bring in Xabi Alonso, perhaps his numbers will improve further.
Sourav Mahanty
Sourav Mahanty has covered teams like Chelsea, Celtic, Real Madrid, Manchester United, PSG and more over a career that has now lasted a decade. His work has been featured on Sports Illustrated, Athlon Sports, SB Nation, FanSided, The Sportster and aggregated through Bleacher Report and NewsNow. Outside of football, he is also interested in basketball, cricket and professional wrestling.
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