OFFICIAL: Chelsea announce signing of versatile Premier League attacker | OneFootball

Chelsea have just announced the signing of Joao Pedro from Brighton for a sum of over £50m.

The Blues have been linked with the former Watford man for some time, but the rumours really took off in the last week, and the deal has been rushed to completion in time to beat the 3rd July deadline for new players who want to play in the knockout stages of the Club World Cup.

The Brazil international flew to the USA over the weekend to do a medical, and he will now join up with Enzo Maresca’s squad.

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What Joao Pedro brings to Chelsea’s new look attack

Joao Pedro celebrates a goal. (Photo by Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images)

Joao Pedro has not been a prolific scorer in his time in the Premier League, but has been really effective as an attacker in general, with great work rate and link-up play, much like Nicolas Jackson.

Newcastle were keen on the 21 year old, but in the end we’ve made the decisive move. Sources say the World Cup in the USA next summer is an important target for him, and he thinks playing for us can help him secure Brazil’s number 9 shirt.

Brazilian striker gives Enzo Maresca new options and new decisions

It will be very interesting to see where JP fits into our plan tactically, and what the idea for the formation is this season. Liam Delap has been signed as a number 9, ostensibly to back up Jackson. Joao Pedro gives a third option there.

But we suspect we will see more than one of them on the pitch at the same time fairly often. Both Jackson and JP have shown the versatility to play wide quite effectively, and we can imagine that being a regular feature, especially when we’re chasing a goal in games.