Chelsea complete the signing of Brazilian forward Joao Pedro from Brighton in a £60M deal!

 

Joao Pedro has completed a high-profile move to Chelsea from Brighton in a deal worth £60 million. The 23-year-old Brazil international has signed a long-term seven-year contract with the London club and could make his debut in the FIFA Club World Cup quarter-final against Palmeiras this Saturday in Philadelphia. Pedro travelled from Brazil to the United States to undergo a medical before finalizing the deal. Pedro made a strong impression at Brighton, where he scored 30 goals in 70 appearances. He joined the Seagulls from Watford in 2023 for nearly £30 million, which was a record signing for Brighton at the time. His development since moving to the Premier League and his consistent goal-scoring form caught the attention of Chelsea, who are currently looking to strengthen their attacking options. Speaking after the transfer, Pedro expressed his excitement about joining a club with such a strong winning tradition. “Everyone knows this is a big club with a great history,” he said. “They had brilliant players in the past and have brilliant players now. When you’re a Chelsea player, you must think one thing win.” Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler stated that the transfer benefits all parties involved. He highlighted that Pedro’s departure makes room in a squad filled with attacking talent and gives the player a chance to play Champions League football and push for a place in Brazil’s squad for the 2026 World Cup.

In addition to signing Joao Pedro, Chelsea have had a £55 million bid accepted by Borussia Dortmund for promising English winger Jamie Gittens. However, Gittens will be ineligible to represent Chelsea at the Club World Cup because he has already featured for Dortmund in the same tournament. FIFA regulations prevent players from representing two different clubs in the same edition of the competition. Pedro, in contrast, is expected to feature immediately for Chelsea, possibly as soon as the quarter-final match against Palmeiras in Philadelphia. His inclusion could boost Chelsea’s attacking threat as they aim to win the Club World Cup title. Chelsea have also added three more young players to their squad ahead of the Club World Cup. Liam Delap, Mamadou Sarr, and Dario Essugo were all signed and successfully registered in time for the group stage. Their arrival reflects Chelsea’s long-term recruitment strategy of bringing in promising talents to develop under the club’s current setup. Brighton coach Fabian Hurzeler praised the club’s decision to sell Pedro, noting the move was strategically sound. According to Hurzeler, Brighton has sufficient depth in attacking positions, and selling Pedro at a profit was the right step. He also emphasized that this transfer provides Pedro with new opportunities on the European stage and helps him stay in contention for Brazil’s national team. These moves demonstrate Chelsea’s continued ambition in the transfer market as they look to rebuild a competitive team capable of challenging in both domestic and international competitions. The club appears focused on both immediate success and future development.

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