Chelsea Agree £60m Deal to Sign Brighton’s Joao Pedro

Chelsea have reached an agreement to sign Brazilian forward Joao Pedro from Brighton & Hove Albion in a deal worth up to £60 million.

The 23-year-old attacker is expected to sign a seven-year contract with the London club and could be available for selection in the FIFA Club World Cup later this week. He is currently flying in from Brazil to complete his medical in the United States.

If cleared, Pedro could make his Chelsea debut as early as Friday, when Enzo Maresca’s side face Palmeiras in the quarter-finals in Philadelphia (BST 02:00).

Brighton Rejected Rival Offers

Chelsea’s offer consists of a £55 million base fee, with an additional £5 million in performance-related add-ons. Brighton had reportedly turned down two previous offers from other Premier League clubs—one believed to be Newcastle United—before accepting Chelsea’s bid.

Pedro’s move marks Chelsea’s second major attacking reinforcement in a week, following their £55 million signing of Jamie Gittens from Borussia Dortmund on Saturday. However, the 20-year-old English winger is ineligible for the Club World Cup, having already featured in the competition with his former club.

Impressive Brighton Spell

Joao Pedro enjoyed an impressive two-year stint at Brighton following a then-club record £30 million transfer from Watford in 2023. During his time with the Seagulls, he netted 30 goals and contributed 10 assists in 70 appearances across all competitions.

Brighton head coach Fabian Hürzeler left Pedro out of their final Premier League match of the season against Tottenham, citing a “small issue”—a decision now understood to have been influenced by ongoing transfer negotiations.

Pedro is set to join a reshaped Chelsea forward line under Maresca, as the Blues continue to overhaul their squad ahead of the 2025–26 season.