Chelsea have confirmed the signing of Brazilian star Joao Pedro from Brighton, who joins the Blues on a £60million deal.
Enzo Maresca’s latest acquisition Pedro, the 23-year-old forward, flew from Brazil to the United States on Sunday night to meet his new team-mates and hold his medical ahead of signing officially.
The Blues announced the signing with a video of the former Brighton forward doing keepy-uppies on a beach against some Brazilian jazz music, with the words: ‘Welcome to Chelsea, Joao Pedro.’
Chelsea are currently bidding to win the first of the newly-expanded Club World Cups, taking on Brazilian side Palmeiras in the quarter-finals having seen off Benfica in extra time in the last 16.
However, Pedro is now eligible to feature in that match after penning terms on what is thought to be an eight-year deal.
‘Everyone knows this is a big club with a great history,’ said Pedro of his new club.
Joao Pedro has joined Chelsea from Brighton for a fee that could rise to £60million
His arrival was announced by Chelsea in a video showing him playing keepy-uppies on a beach
The former Brighton forward is eligible to feature for the Blues in their Club World Cup quarter-final clash with Brazilian side Palmeiras
‘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.’
Pedro was one of Brighton’s brightest stars in the last two seasons after joining the Seagulls from Watford back in 2023.
In that period he managed 30 goals and 10 assists in just 70 appearances, picking up admiring glances from Chelsea among others for his impressive displays.
He now joins the likes of Moises Caicedo, Robert Sanchez and Marc Cucurella in joining from the Seagulls in recent years.
While Pedro is able to come straight into the Club World Cup squad along with Liam Delap, Mamadou Sarr and Dario Essugo who were eligible for the group stages, Jamie Bynoe-Gittens would not be allowed.
The Blues have had a £55m fee accepted for his services from Borussia Dortmund, though given he has featured for the German side at the competition he would be effectively cup-tied.
Pedro revealed in an interview with Chelsea that he had spoken with current player Andrey Santos on Instagram about the club, and received a positive recommendation.
He added: ‘I’m close a little bit to David Luiz. I spoke to him, not about Chelsea, but about my career and how I could develop better. He helped me.’
The 23-year-old revealed he spoke with compatriot Andrey Santos before signing for Chelsea
The forward came through at Fluminense, who could play Chelsea in the Club World Cup
He has impressed at Brighton since joining the Seagulls for a club record fee back in 2023
Pedro was first scouted and signed by Rio de Janeiro side Fluminense, who take on Al-Hilal in their own Club World Cup quarter-final – where he would go on to play 36 times before joining Watford.
Fluminense’s youth technical coordinator, Marcelo Veiga however told Mail Sport, ‘JP’ had some growing to do after arriving as a skinny kid.
‘When he went to the Under 15s and Under 16s categories, he was still very thin, with little physical strength, despite being tall and having good technique. At this point, he found it difficult to play.
‘He was on the bench and sometimes wasn’t even called up for matches, which caused insecurity for both him and his family, especially his mother, Flavia, who is by the way a warrior who always believed in her son’s potential.
‘I remember a conversation I had with JP’s mother and his late stepfather, on the parking ramp of the training centre in Xerem. It was around the time she was very distressed because he wasn’t playing.
‘I calmed her down, saying that we should be patient. Flavia believed in the club, supported her son, and was certainly a fundamental person for everything to work out. When the family acts like that, it bears fruit.’
