Chelsea's £60m Signing Joao Pedro Linked with Shock Arsenal Move
Former Premier League forward Keinan Davis has expressed high praise for Chelsea star Joao Pedro, suggesting he "wouldn't be surprised" if the Brazilian striker made a controversial move to London rivals Arsenal. The comments come as Pedro continues to impress during his debut season at Stamford Bridge following his substantial £60 million transfer from Brighton last summer.
Impressive Debut Season at Chelsea
Since arriving at Chelsea, Joao Pedro has established himself as a key attacking force, netting an impressive 18 goals across all competitions during his first campaign. The 24-year-old Brazilian international was initially expected to compete with fellow summer signing Liam Delap for playing time but quickly emerged as the preferred striker under managers Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior.
Pedro's form has been particularly devastating since the beginning of January, with the forward scoring 11 goals since the turn of the year. This remarkable run of performances led former Manchester United and England captain Wayne Rooney to recently declare Pedro "the most in-form forward in the Premier League."
Former Teammate's Insight
Keinan Davis, who played alongside Pedro at Watford and has since featured for Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest, and currently Udinese in Italy, revealed he always recognized the Brazilian's potential to develop into a top-tier player. "You saw his quality in training," Davis told talkSPORT. "Even playing with him, he's Brazilian, so he's just got that flair and belief in himself that he knows he's a very good player."
Davis emphasized Pedro's character alongside his footballing ability, noting: "He's a good guy as well. He's not disrespectful or anything like that; he's just a top person. So yeah, you could definitely see that he could move on to make big steps."
Arsenal's Striker Search
The transfer speculation comes as Arsenal have been linked with strengthening their forward line ahead of the summer transfer window. Despite Viktor Gyokeres scoring 16 goals this season, concerns have emerged about his overall contribution and all-round play, potentially prompting the Gunners to seek attacking reinforcements.
Davis directly addressed the possibility of Pedro joining Arsenal, stating: "To see him at Chelsea now is like... even if he went to Arsenal or something like that, I wouldn't be surprised. He's very good."
Recent Performances and Challenges
Pedro's season highlights include his first Chelsea hat-trick during the Premier League victory over top-four rivals Aston Villa on March 4. The Brazilian followed this with another goal just three days later as Chelsea overcame Wrexham to secure their place in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
However, Pedro has experienced a recent goal drought, failing to score in Chelsea's Champions League clashes against PSG or in Premier League defeats to Newcastle and Everton. Despite this temporary setback, his overall impact since joining Chelsea has been substantial and continues to generate significant attention across the football world.
The potential transfer would represent a major coup for Arsenal and a significant loss for Chelsea, particularly given Pedro's rapid adaptation to Premier League football and his growing importance to the Blues' attacking setup. As the summer transfer window approaches, speculation surrounding Pedro's future is likely to intensify, especially if his impressive form continues throughout the remainder of the season.
