Joao Pedro has had his ups and downs since joining Chelsea, but overall, he has exceeded most expectations. Most fans were not impressed when the club made a move in the summer to bring him in from Brighton & Hove Albion. Then again, the Blues have signed some of their best players from the Seagulls. That trend has continued with the Brazilian forward.
In 49 games for Chelsea across all competitions, he has scored 22 goals and provided a further nine assists. In the Premier League, he has scored 14 times and assisted eight in 32 outings. And even in the Champions League, he has found the back of the net on three occasions. Of course, he was instrumental in winning the Club World Cup as well.
Then there is his overall play. Pedro can play with his back to goal, hold up the ball, carry it up the pitch and link with his teammates. He is like a Nicolas Jackson with much better finishing.
Chelsea have a lot of problems right now, but they might have solved the one up top, if Pedro can be a big more consistent. He does blow hot and cold at times. But Pedro’s performances have caught the eye of other clubs.
Barcelona make contacts looking to sign Joao Pedro
According to ESPN Brasil, Barcelona have been working for about a month on a plan B for Julian Alvarez behind the scenes. This involves Pedro. Barca have already initiated initial informal contacts for the Brazilian international forward.
The report further goes on to state that Chelsea have already communicated through third parties that it will not facilitate a transfer in the next summer transfer window. The Blues recognise the difficulties in finding a suitable replacement for someone like Pedro, even for a €100 million transfer fee.
So, what does the player think about all of this? At the moment, Pedro isn’t even thinking about a transfer. He’s focused on finishing the season at Chelsea and on preparing for the World Cup, where he is expected to lead the line for Brazil.
Chelsea cannot afford to see Pedro leave
The focus for Chelsea this summer has to be on strengthening the squad. They cannot even consider letting some of their best players leave. Pedro certainly falls under that category.
Could Chelsea further strengthen their ranks up top? Well, yes. Pedro is still not considered an out-and-out goalscorer like Harry Kane or Erling Haaland.
At the very least, Chelsea could do with some genuine competition in that position, because right now, Liam Delap is nowhere near. Interestingly, just like Barcelona, they have been linked with a move for Alvarez.
The former Manchester City striker is proven at both club and international levels. For Atletico Madrid, he has scored 49 goals in 105 games. That is the kind of signing the Blues must make if they want to take this team to the next level. If that means parting ways with a few of their current forwards like Delap and Jackson, it might be worth it.
