Chelsea have signed plenty of attacking players from fellow Premier League clubs over the years.
Some have performed well and lived up to expectations at Stamford Bridge, whereas others have struggled.
Fernando Torres cost the Blues £50m when he joined from Liverpool in January 2011. Considering he was one of the finest forwards in Europe, the expectation was enormous.
A return of just 45 goals in 172 matches didn’t exactly see him shine at Stamford Bridge. Raheem Sterling was another attacking player who failed to star at the club, despite a big transfer fee, ultimately shipped out on loan to Arsenal after being excluded by the manager.
In comparison, Cole Palmer has been a massive hit, registering 68 goal contributions across 94 matches for the Blues since joining from Manchester City.
Elsewhere, Nicolas Anelka, Joe Cole and Eidur Gudjohnsen have all made the move from other Premier League sides to Chelsea since the turn of the century and significantly impressed in their own way.
Now, Enzo Maresca is looking to wrap up a deal for Brighton and Hove Albion forward Joao Pedro.
If a deal can be sealed in the coming days, the manager will be hoping he will turn into a Palmer 2.0 rather than a Torres.
Chelsea closing in on signing Joao Pedro
The Italian has made no secret that he is looking to bolster Chelsea’s attacking options this summer.
Jamie Gittens is someone whom the Blues have been tracking for quite some time, and they even had a bid rejected a few weeks ago.
Their £55m bid a few days ago was accepted, however, and the English winger is set to undergo a medical in London.
Could Pedro follow suit in the coming days? According to The Athletic, Chelsea have reached an agreement with Brighton regarding a move for the Brazilian, and it is in excess of £50m.
His medical looks set to take place over the next few days, and the Blues are closing in on adding another top-class forward ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
Pedro has scored 22 goals and grabbed ten assists across 88 Premier League games in his career. This is perhaps a decent record rather than spectacular, but Pedro offers more than just a clinical threat in front of goal.
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Pedro’s PL statistics for Brighton last season |
|
|---|---|
|
Goals |
10 |
|
Assists |
6 |
|
Big chances created |
11 |
|
Key passes per game |
1.1 |
|
Successful dribbles per game |
1.1 |
|
Shots per game |
1.7 |
|
Via Sofascore |
|
When compared to his positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues, Pedro ranks in the top 10% for shot-creating actions (3.33) and successful take-ons (1.34) per 90.
Additionally, the Brazilian forward also ranks in the top 3% for progressive carries (3.05) per 90 while also ranking in the top 4% for progressive passes (3.6) per 90 over the previous 365 days.
These statistics indicate that Pedro could be an exciting signing indeed, especially with his wonderful attacking traits.
Combine this with the fact that he can operate either as a centre-forward or as a shadow striker will give Maresca plenty of flexibility in where he deploys the Brighton star.
With a move close to completion, Pedro could link up extremely well with another Chelsea target – Mohammed Kudus.
Chelsea exploring move for Premier League star
While Gittens looks like he is closing in on a move to the Stamford Bridge side, he isn’t the only winger Maresca is eyeing up.
Blues insider Simon Phillips provided an update on the Blues’ pursuit of Kudus on X, saying that “Chelsea still trying for Kudus as well” amid the recent speculation.
Indeed, the club had made a proposal worth around £50m to West Ham United regarding the Ghanaian winger, yet this was rejected rather swiftly by the Irons as the player has an £85m release clause.
Maresca appears keen on landing the player, however, and he could well go back in and make an official bid to test West Ham’s resolve.
If he can land both Pedro and Kudus this summer, the pair could work well together. That’s for sure.
Why Chelsea must sign Mohammed Kudus
Pedro will be signed to challenge Liam Delap and Nicolas Jackson for a centre-forward role, with Maresca keen on making use of his strengths in the opposition penalty area.
As such, Kudus would be deployed on the flanks, where he can deliver crosses and provide a host of chances for the Brazilian.
During his two seasons with West Ham, Kudus has scored 19 goals and recorded 13 assists across 80 matches. This works out as a goal contribution every 2.5 games, which is a more than respectable figure.
In the Premier League last term, the former Ajax starlet succeeded with an impressive 2.9 dribbles per game, while also creating four big chances and averaging one key pass per match.
His ability to beat his opposite man was certainly on display throughout the 2024/25 campaign. Indeed, he ranked in the top 3% for successful take-ons (3.2) per 90 when compared to his positional peers in Europe’s big five leagues.
Furthermore, Kudus also ranks in the top 17% for crosses into the penalty area (0.52) per 90 and in the top 20% for ball recoveries per 90.
Journalist Gary Al-Smith hailed the African winger as a “generational talent” back in 2023, just a few months after he made the move to West Ham and while his second season might not have been as impressive as his maiden one at the London Stadium, Kudus would still be an excellent signing for Chelsea.
Not only would he add some competition to the wide areas, but his abilities would work in tandem with Pedro, allowing the duo to flourish in the Premier League and Champions League next season.
That ability to beat a man won’t only open up more goalscoring opportunities for Chelsea’s forward line, but it would also drag more players towards him, thus opening up more space in the final third for the likes of Pedro and Co.
Much will depend on the fee West Ham demand, especially if the Blues are paying over £100 to sign both Gittens and Pedro in the coming weeks.
If several players, such as Christopher Nkunku and João Félix, can be moved on, this will give Maresca the money to spend on bringing Kudus to Stamford Bridge.
If he manages to get all his transfer targets in the door before the start of next season, Chelsea could be a team to watch, that’s for sure.
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