Chelsea have set their sights on signing Brighton and Hove Albion star Joao Pedro ahead of the January transfer window.
The Blues have enjoyed a fantastic season under new manager Enzo Maresca and competing Liverpool for the Premier League title. They will have the chance to close down the gap on the Reds when they take on west London rivals Brentford on Sunday evening.
Having started the 2024/25 campaign admirably well, Enzo Maresca would try to fortify his squad’s hopes of winning the Premier League title by making a couple of additions during the winter window. And Brighton’s Joao Pedro has reportedly emerged as a target for the Pensioners, but they could face competition from Liverpool.
Pedro, 23, moved to Brighton in the summer of 2023 from Watford and was the club’s top scorer in his debut season at the Amex Stadium, netting 20 goals in 40 appearances across all competitions. The Brazilian has had an injury-hit 2024/25 campaign, yet four goals and three assists in nine league appearances makes a great reading.
He has scored some important goals against the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal and Manchester City, catching the eye of Chelsea and Liverpool in the process. However, it would take a fee of around £100m to sign the centre-forward in 2025 as the Seagulls have no current plans to part ways with him.
Could Chelsea break the bank for Joao Pedro?
Chelsea have no hesitated to splash the cash under the Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital era, having spent millions in recent years to assemble a strong squad. They were lacking direction in the last two seasons, but in Maresca, they have finally landed a manager who is getting the best out of the hugely talented and expensive squad.
The Blues beat Liverpool to the signing of Moises Caicedo, who arrived at Stamford Bridge in 2023 for a British-record £115m deal from Brighton. Before that, they had also invested a lot of money to bring in Enzo Fernandez from SL Benfica. Now, they have been linked with a big-money move for Pedro.
Capable of playing in multiple positions across the front-line, Pedro would be a sensational long-term addition to Chelsea. He is speedy, agile, creative and can score goals from both feet, and having a player of such profile would instantly enhance Maresca’s squad. Right now, it is hard to see where the Brazilian would fit in at Stamford Bridge as Maresca’s forward line is stacked with talent and is one of the strongest in the Premier League.
A couple of departures may be the only way Pedro is brought to Chelsea. Otherwise, spending around £100m for a versatile forward would make little to no sense, especially when Maresca has other areas that require significant addressing.
I am Rohan Sengupta from one of the busiest cities in India, Mumbai. A Journalism graduate with a keen interest in sports, football is something I simply cannot live without and writing, discussing and analyzing the game is what I do 24*7.
