Photo by Chris Lee - Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Photo by Chris Lee - Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
No one wants to watch Arsenal win the Premier League title again — well Chelsea fans certainly don’t!
Yet the Blues could have practically guaranteed their London rivals another league title in this transfer window.
How? Well, Chelsea could have sold one of their star players to Arsenal, but that is not going to happen, thankfully.
Asmir Begovic's Chelsea XI for Fulham away
Asmir Begovic's Chelsea XI for Fulham away
Arsenal would have guaranteed 2026/27 Premier League title if they signed Joao Pedro from Chelsea
According to Sport, Arsenal contacted Joao Pedro before their Champions League final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain at the end of last season.
As expected, Chelsea had no interest in selling a key player to one of their greatest foes in football, which will come as a relief to the Stamford Bridge faithful but also to the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool.
Arsenal are already the favourites to win the 2026/27 Premier League title, and Pedro is one of the best strikers in the division.
Last season, the 24-year-old scored 15 goals and provided four assists in 35 top-flight outings. None of his goals came from the penalty spot.
If Arsenal added that to their squad, it would have been game over for the rest of the league. As for Chelsea, there would have been serious ramifications.
Joao Pedro of Chelsea
Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
They would have struggled to find a replacement, risked Champions League qualification and infuriated fans.
Thankfully, though, this was always a non-starter. It is thought that Arsenal wanted to offer around £89m for Pedro, while the Brazilian still has plenty of years left on his contract.
In a market where you need £85m minimum to sign a good midfielder, Chelsea were never going to sell Pedro for less than £100m, especially with his deal not set to expire any time soon.
Whatever the case, everything is pointing towards more title glory for Arsenal unfortunately. But Xabi Alonso’s side just need to concentrate on themselves and try to make a return to the top four.