Chelsea has reportedly reached an agreement with Brighton & Hove Albion to sign Brazilian forward Joao Pedro, ahead of their FIFA Club World Cup 2025 quarter-final clash.
The Blues are set to face Palmeiras in the last-eight fixture of the tournament on Friday, July 4, 2025 (local time). The move is seen as a strategic effort to bolster Chelsea’s attacking options during this crucial stage of the competition.
According to The Athletic, the transfer deal is valued at over £50 million (approximately IDR 1.4 trillion), marking a significant investment by the London club.
Joao Pedro is currently en route to the United States to undergo a medical examination before officially joining Chelsea’s squad for the ongoing Club World Cup campaign.
The 23-year-old striker joined Brighton from Watford two years ago for a club-record fee of £30 million. During his two seasons with the Seagulls, Pedro scored 30 goals in 70 appearances across all competitions.
However, he was absent from Brighton’s final two matches last season due to internal disciplinary issues, following an alleged training ground altercation with teammate Jan Paul van Hecke.
FIFA has set a deadline of July 3, 2025, for clubs participating in the knockout stage of the Club World Cup to register new players.
