Chelsea signs Joao Pedro, raises conversations about the Blues’ financial deals

Chelsea has added yet another forward to their squad after they brought in Joao Pedro from Brighton in a deal worth £60m on Wednesday.

The 23-year-old Brazilian forward has signed an eight-year contract and is set to play in the Club World Cup quarter-final against Palmeiras on Saturday. 

The Brazilian appeared in 70 matches for the Seagulls, scoring 30 goals after his move to the club from Watford in 2023 for around £30m, a club-record fee.

Pedro expressed his excitement about joining Chelsea, citing the club’s great history and brilliant players. He emphasized the importance of winning and being a Chelsea player. 

The signing of Pedro takes Chelsea’s spending on initial transfer fees to £1.32bn in seven transfer windows under their current ownership. Chelsea’s deal for Pedro is part of a larger strategy to unearth new stars and sell on unwanted talent for a profit.

The club’s finances will be boosted by playing in next season’s Champions League, and they are set to receive over £50m for their Club World Cup run, and analysts believe that Chelsea’s sale of their women’s team to parent company BlueCo for £198.7m could give them significant spending flexibility.

The signing of Pedro adds competition for the number nine and 10 positions, with Nicolas Jackson and Cole Palmer being two of the most prominent forwards in the squad. 

Pedro’s stats in penalty kicks, assists, and open-play goals are impressive, and he can play as a striker or false nine, offering Enzo Maresca more options.

However, there is a question mark over whether he can become a top player now that he is in a Champions League team, given that he has not scored more than 11 league goals in a season.

Chelsea’s squad is valued at over £1.4bn, and the club has already assembled a big team with teenagers Kendry Paez, Estevao Willian, and Mike Penders set to join this summer.