Chelsea Confirms Signing Of João Pedro From Brighton

‎Chelsea have strengthened their attacking options this summer by signing Brazilian forward João Pedro from Brighton & Hove Albion on an eight-year contract, with a reported fee of around £55 million.

‎João Pedro joins former Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap at the Blues, who are currently competing in the Club World Cup quarter-finals. Chelsea will face Palmeiras early Saturday morning in Europe (03:00 CET).

‎João Pedro, a talented product of Brazilian giants Fluminense, first made his mark as a teenager known for his flair and instinctive goal-scoring ability. He scored 10 goals in 36 appearances for the Rio club before moving to English football.

‎His career continued at Watford, where over four seasons he made 109 appearances and netted 24 goals. During the 2022/23 season, he even captained the team on occasion all before turning 22.

‎In 2023, João Pedro transferred to Brighton for €34.2 million, making an immediate impact by scoring on his debut.

‎He went on to have a remarkable season, scoring 19 goals across all competitions and finishing as the Seagulls’ joint-top scorer. During his time at Brighton, he made 58 appearances in the Premier League, scoring 58 goals.

‎He joins the squad immediately and will be available for Friday’s Club World Cup clash.

‎Speaking to Chelsea’s official website, he said of his move, “Everyone knows this is a big club with a great history.

‎”They had brilliant players in the past and have brilliant players now. So I am excited to join, and you know when you are a Chelsea player, you must think one thing – win.”

‎João Pedro also said that his decision was influenced by former Blues defender David Luiz.

‎He added, “I’m close to David Luiz a little bit. I spoke to him, not about Chelsea, but about my career and how I could develop better. He helped me.”