Chelsea agree £50 million deal to sign Joao Pedro from Brighton

Chelsea have agreed a deal worth over £50 million with Brighton & Hove Albion to sign Joao Pedro (h/t the Athletic). The Blues agreed personal terms on a long-term contract running until 2032.

The 23-year-old also attracted interest from Newcastle United, but he only wanted a move to Stamford Bridge. Newcastle will have to turn elsewhere.

Medical checks are being scheduled, and pending their completion, Pedro will join the Chelsea squad for the ongoing Club World Cup in the United States.

The versatile attacker adds further depth to the Chelsea frontline as the Blues seek to reinforce with firepower.

They have already signed Liam Delap from Ipswich Town this summer. There is a deal in place to take Jamie Bynoe-Gittens from Borussia Dortmund.

However, the decision to pursue Pedro makes little sense for a club grappling with disciplinary issues.

The Brazilian forward arrives with a growing rap sheet that raises serious questions about his temperament.

Pedro has shown an alarming pattern of behaviour, from a three-game suspension for violent conduct to a training ground bust-up with teammate Jan Paul van Hecke.

He also escaped a few more potentially damning incidents.

Chelsea received the most yellow cards in the Premier League this season, while players like Nicolas Jackson and Reece James showed they must work on their discipline.

Adding a volatile character like Pedro to that roster is asking for trouble.

Even more baffling is that he is reportedly coming in as a like-for-like replacement for Christopher Nkunku, who was already surplus to requirements.

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Chelsea did not need to replace Nkunku. They needed to reassess their squad structure and offload redundancies, not throw over £50 million at another forward with baggage.

Moreover, the West Londoners have struggled with players like Pedro, who are jacks of all trades that fit into multiple areas but do not have a fixed position.

Nkunku came with the same positional “versatility” but failed to fit anywhere at Stamford Bridge. The Chelsea faithful will hope Pedro does not face the same issue.