It has been reported that João Pedro is “expected” to leave Brighton & Hove Albion this summer.
The striker was allegedly made available last month following the end of the Premier League season, with Brighton hoping to receive a large sum from the transfer.
This follows a trend that has been highly successful for Brighton in recent seasons, involving the purchase of players at a lower price and their sale at extraordinary profits. With the club’s sales exceeding €300m in the last three seasons, including a sale of over €100m for Moises Caicedo to Chelsea in 2023.
Why are Brighton selling João Pedro?
Fabrizio Romano reported on X that João Pedro was “expected to leave Brighton with movements taking place.” This followed his announcement last month that Pedro was made available by Brighton for roughly €70m.
João Pedro has been a staple in Brighton’s team since he arrived in 2023, racking up over 50 Premier League appearances for the club by the age of 23. He racked up a further 31 appearances in the top division for Watford before joining the Seagulls.
Pedro was signed for reportedly around £30m (~€35.5m), becoming Brighton’s record transfer. At this price, Watford would have made a large profit with the striker joining the club for around £10m (~€11.8).
However, it seems that Brighton’s heavy price paid will be worth it if they can complete the sale of the Brazilian at their set price of €70m.
How has Pedro performed at Brighton?
Playing often as a striker for Watford, especially when the Hornets played a front two, Pedro wore the number 10 shirt and was moved around the advanced positions. He was often the standout player, performing as one of the best players on the pitch, regardless of his position.
The Brazilian’s versatility at just the age of 21 was one of the primary factors as to why Brighton were willing to make the record transfer, with the technical director of the south coast side saying, “He’s a brilliant young talent with an eye for goal”.
Since joining, the now 23-year-old has played 58 league games, scoring 19 goals and assisting 10 while mostly playing behind or alongside striker Danny Welbeck.
Many presume that the price tag of €70m is steep for a player with only 70 Brighton appearances across all competitions. Although his return of 30 goals and 10 assists may mean that those doubters could be proved wrong at his future club.
Which clubs are interested?
Despite the hefty price set by Brighton, there are several high-profile clubs interested in the Brazilian.
Sky Sports reported that Newcastle United are the most likely of these destinations, with striker Callum Wilson likely to leave the club at the end of June. Wilson has been a backup striker for Alexander Isak in recent seasons, and it is hard to imagine that the Tyneside club will be spending over £50m (~€59m) on a backup player.
Instead, there is a possibility that the transfer only happens if large profits are gained from the sale of a current attacking player. Liverpool has shown interest in Newcastle winger Anthony Gordon, and with Gordon being a boyhood Liverpool fan, there is a strong possibility that the transfer will happen.
The price for Gordon has been rumoured to exceed that of Pedro, with prices of up to £80m being reported. With the attacker not unfamiliar with a wide role, and Newcastle occasionally using wide attacking midfielders over wingers, perhaps the Brighton forward could be the perfect replacement.
Elsewhere, there has been significant interest from Chelsea in João Pedro. The attacker may potentially prefer the move to London, with the club being far closer to his East Sussex home. The Blues will share the same domestic and European leagues next season, meaning the level of football will not be a factor.
There is also a greater chance of the striker being a solid starter for Chelsea with their current striker, Nicolas Jackson, scoring just one goal in his last 15 Premier League appearances.
Wherever João Pedro goes, the move will undoubtedly be risky for the buyer, as any transfer of that amount is. However, there is a strong possibility that he could evolve into one of the league’s best forwards, considering his short but impressive career thus far.