Joao Pedro has only just signed for Chelsea – but former teammate Troy Deeney believes the Brazilian could soon be attracting interest from other top clubs in Europe.
The Brighton forward was wanted by several Premier League clubs this summer, but ultimately joined Chelsea for a fee of £60million.
The Brazilian scored ten league goals last season and provides further depth to Chelsea’s attacking options after the signing of Liam Delap from Ipswich Town.
Pedro is eligible to play for Chelsea in their Club World Cup quarter-final clash with Palmeiras, but may not be rushed into first-team action having been on holiday prior to his move.
However, former Watford teammate Deeney believes Pedro has all the qualities to shine in Enzo Maresca’s side when he gets the chance.
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Asked what Chelsea can expect from their new signing, Deeney told talkSPORT: ‘He’ll bring an intensity – that’s what Joao will bring. He’s obviously an exceptional football player.
‘We were just talking about the social media clips Chelsea have put up on training and he’s throwing his weight around already.’
‘He is all or nothing. I think the misconception is that he’s a troublemaker – he’s absolutely not that at all.
‘He’s passionate, he’s energetic, he wants to win and play every minute of every game, but I think at Chelsea now you’re going to see the real Joao Pedro who is one that enjoys competition and believes he should be starting for Brazil.
‘I’ve seen this player since he was 18 years old, and the mentality has not changed one bit. it’s always been ‘I want to be the best; I want to play for my national team, and I want to be the new R9 (Ronaldo)’.’
Pedro will first face stiff competition to nail down a regular starting berth in Chelsea’s starting XI, especially with Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Gittens also expected to arrive to provide further competition in the forward areas.
But Deeney is confident that it won’t be long before Pedro starts proving his talents for both club and country, and believes Barcelona and Real Madrid could well be the next destination for the 23-year-old.
‘If Chelsea start competing both in the Champions League and in the Premier League, he will be part of that vehicle,’ Deeney added when asked if Pedro’s national team ambitions were realistic.
‘When you look at the Brazilian national team, it’s not as strong as some of the teams we’ve seen over the years so he will look at that and say ‘Yes I can do that (get in the team)’.
‘I think if he does well for two years there, Real Madrid and Barcelona will come knocking and Chelsea have a model of buying young and selling on for more than what they paid for.’
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