According to ESPN, Pedro drew interest from Newcastle but preferred a move to Stamford Bridge. Negotiations between Chelsea and Brighton progressed swiftly in recent days.

The Blues will pay an initial fee of $75 million, with an additional $7 million based on Pedro's performance. The agreement also includes a clause granting Brighton a percentage of any future transfer fee if Chelsea sells the Brazilian forward.

Joao Pedro (number 9) celebrates his decisive goal in Brighton's 2-1 victory against Man Utd at the American Express Community Stadium, Brighton, England on 24/8/2024. _Photo: Reuters_

Pedro has agreed to a seven-year contract, running until 2032. The 23-year-old forward is scheduled for a medical examination in the coming days, aiming to be registered in time for the FIFA Club World Cup quarter-final against Palmeiras at Lincoln Financial Field, Pennsylvania, on the evening of 4/7.

From 28/6 to 3/7, teams reaching the round of 16 can register a maximum of two new players acquired during the summer transfer window. FIFA only prohibits registering players who have already participated in the Club World Cup with a different team. The registration deadline is 3/7.

Pedro began his career at Fluminense before moving to England to play for Watford and then joining Brighton for $40 million in the summer of 2023. Over the past two years, he has scored 30 goals and provided 10 assists in 70 matches.

In addition to Pedro, Chelsea has also secured a deal to sign 20-year-old winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens from Dortmund for $75 million. However, Bynoe-Gittens is ineligible to play for Chelsea in the FIFA Club World Cup, having already appeared for Dortmund in the group stage of the tournament.

Previously, Chelsea spent over $40 million to sign 22-year-old forward Liam Delap from Ipswich Town. Pedro, Gittens, and Delap are expected to revitalize Chelsea's attack.

Conversely, the Blues are seeking to offload Joao Felix, Christopher Nkunku, and potentially Nicolas Jackson. The Senegalese forward's standing has been damaged by his direct red card just four minutes after coming on as a substitute in Chelsea's 3-1 defeat to Flamengo in their second Group D match of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.

Hong Duy (_via ESPN, Sky Sports_)