Joao Pedro has become the main man for Rosenior’s Chelsea
Chelsea’s scattergun approach in the transfer market is often ridiculed but they’re playing the odds. Sign enough players in one window and one of them is bound to deliver. During the 2023/24 season, Cole Palmer proved to be the bargain buy for the Blues. This season, that title belongs to João Pedro.
By Sam McGuire
The Blues spent over £300million during the summer transfer window, signing the likes of Pedro, Jamie Gittens, Alejandro Garnacho, Liam Delap and Jorrel Hato. Another squad overhaul coupled with a number of clubs investing heavily in attackers meant Pedro’s arrival from Brighton went a little under the radar.
Courted by Newcastle United and a one-time Liverpool transfer target, the Brazilian attacker moved to Stamford Bridge for an initial £55million. Hugo Ekitike, Alexander Isak, Victor Gyökeres and Benjamin Šeško all had transfer fees that eclipsed that. In a grossly inflated market, Chelsea, incredibly, managed to find a value for money forward.
What makes this deal even more impressive is that few had the six-cap international down as a stone cold, ruthless No. 9. He seemed to fall into the Roberto Firmino category. Yes, he was a centre-forward but he wasn’t necessarily in the team to score goals. He’d, of course, find the back of the net but he was by no means a 20-goal per season attacker.
His highest return in the league arrived for Watford during a stint in the Championship when he netted 11 goals. He did score 20 for Brighton across all competitions during his debut campaign at the Amex but 10 arrived via the penalty spot.
During his last season with the Seagulls, he scored 10 goals but chipped in with six assists in the Premier League. That was Pedro in a nutshell. His game wasn’t centred on goals. He could be a facilitator. He could drop deeper and link play. He was more of a 9.5 than he was a pure, out and out No. 9.
Or so we thought.
This term, the 24-year-old has taken his game to another level. His treble against Aston Villa in his last Premier League outing means he’s on a career high 14 league goals. Only Erling Haaland (22), Igor Thiago (18) and Antoine Semenyo (15) have more to their name in the English top-flight.
Pedro leads the way for goals scored amongst the Chelsea squad and he ranks first for assists too with five. He’s on 19 goal involvements in the league and has 18 goals to his name across all competitions. Unless there’s an extreme drop-off between now and the end of the season, he’s going to eclipse the 20 he scored for Brighton.
Only Moisés Caicedo, a £100million signing, and Palmer (both on 7.3) have a higher average FotMob rating this season than Pedro (7.28). The No. 20 has made himself right at home in Chelsea’s ever changing squad.
He’s showing he can be the main man as well as being a facilitator.
Against Aston Villa recently, he was a fox in the box. A real penalty box predator.
In the comeback victory over West Ham United in late January, when Pedro was a second half substitute, he was everything but a penalty box presence. He did, however, finish the game with a goal and an assist despite doing most of his work on the edge of the area.
Pedro finds himself in fine form right now. He has nine goals and two assists in his last nine outings across all competitions. This return includes a double against Napoli in Naples and a hat-trick against Aston Villa at Villa Park.
Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior heaped praise on him recently, saying: “I wouldn’t swap João [Pedro] for anyone at this moment – he is showing all the qualities and attributes I want to see.
The great thing for João is his age – he can still improve, and I’ve already noticed several areas where he can get better. But the level he’s operating at now is world class, and it’s my job, the club’s job, and his job to keep him there.”
And Pedro has himself acknowledged the manager’s role in his form: “I also think my form is largely down to the conversations I’ve had with Liam, from him showing that he genuinely wants to help me improve. When you feel that support from the manager, you push yourself harder every day, and because of that, I’m improving steadily.”
Under Rosenior’s more fluid, possession-heavy system, Pedro has seen his touches in the opposition box skyrocket. He’s no longer just a link-up player; he’s a pay-off player. The former Watford man is full of confidence and he’s showing he’s not just a support act. Chelsea have been without Palmer for the majority of the season and yet find themselves in fifth, just three points off of third-placed Manchester United. A key reason for that is the form of their No. 20.
Chelsea’s spending is excessive but it shouldn’t take anything away from them when they get it right. And they did get it right with the Brazil international.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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