Chelsea have finalized an agreement to bring in striker João Pedro from fellow Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion, with the transfer reportedly valued at around £55 million.
The Blues, who have frequently done business with Brighton in recent years, appear to have secured Pedro’s signature despite strong interest from Newcastle United, who also qualified for the Champions League. ..Continue Reading
Pedro, a 23-year-old Brazilian forward, found the net 19 times over two top-flight seasons with Brighton after making the switch from Watford in 2023.
Having spent much of his youth career at Fluminense in Rio de Janeiro, Pedro now looks set to officially become a Chelsea player in time for their Club World Cup quarter-final against Brazilian side Palmeiras in Philadelphia on Friday.
Players registered by Thursday, July 3, will be eligible to feature in the tournament, even though it is already past the halfway mark.
That means Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca is expected to have Pedro available for selection in the upcoming clash along the Delaware River.
Liam Delap has led the line in Chelsea’s last three Club World Cup fixtures, scoring once and providing an assist since arriving from Ipswich Town, so Pedro may be gradually introduced into the squad regardless of eligibility.
The situation is different for Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, who is also set to join Chelsea in a similarly priced deal and is currently undergoing a medical.
Gittens, who previously played in the youth setups at both Chelsea and Manchester City before breaking into Borussia Dortmund’s senior team in 2022, is poised to return to Stamford Bridge but won’t be able to feature in the Club World Cup.
Despite the possibility of completing his transfer before the registration deadline, Gittens is ineligible because he has already appeared for Dortmund in the tournament, making him cup-tied under FIFA rules.
He made a brief appearance off the bench during Dortmund’s group stage match against Fluminense—Pedro’s former club—and was officially listed in Niko Kovač’s final squad for the competition, which locks him out of representing another team.
If all goes according to plan, both Pedro and Gittens will be available for Chelsea’s opening Premier League fixture of the 2025–26 season, when they host Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge.
