Watford FC struck gold with Brazilian star - he became a world champion | OneFootball

Arriving at Watford in 2020, Joao Pedro went on to become a star in English football.

The signing of Brazilian youngster Joao Pedro in 2018 proved to be a masterstroke for Watford, who saw undeniable glimpses into the future with the now-Chelsea star and profited greatly from his services.

Before making his debut for boyhood club Fluminense, a deal was agreed with Watford for the then-17-year-old, who would join up with the Hornets in January 2020.

Arriving in England with hype behind him, Pedro would settle down and become a key player at Vicarage Road, before a big-money move to Brighton in the summer of 2023, and his eventual switch to Chelsea this summer, where the Brazilian already looks ready to become a star at the elite level.

Bringing in a whopping £35 million for the forward while still in the Championship, the Hornets struck gold with the signing of Pedro.

Joao Pedro's Watford explosion

After arriving in Hertfordshire on a five-year deal worth a reported £2 million, Pedro struggled during his early days in England, which can be natural for a youngster making the switch to European football.

However, in the 2020/21 season, following Watford's relegation to the Championship, the versatile forward began to blossom.

After scoring his first goal against arch-rivals Luton Town, Pedro went on to score nine Championship goals and provide four assists at the age of 19, with the Hornets promoted back to the top-flight at the first time of asking.

Watford were unable to avoid relegation the following campaign; however, he went on to score a further 11 and assist four goals back in the Championship, in an under-par Hornets side that went on to finish 11th. He was mesmeric all throughout that campaign, with his flair and trickery - while often operating in a free role behind the striker - simply proving too much to handle for opposition defenders.

Captaining the club on numerous occasions at such a young age during that season, interest was understandably high, and an exit was likely following Watford's poor term.

In the summer of 2023, Pedro left Watford to join Brighton in a deal reportedly worth £35 million, and he would begin to shift through the gears in the Premier League.

One-time Watford starlet Joao Pedro went on to become a world champion at Chelsea

The Brazilian quickly became a key player at the AMEX, and he would go on to score 30 goals and provide 10 assists for the Seagulls across 70 appearances for the club.

A star in both the Premier League and European competition, Pedro established himself as one of the very best forwards in English football, leading the line with great aplomb for Brighton throughout his two-year stay in Sussex.

Getting a taste of European football under Roberto De Zerbi and becoming talismanic under Fabian Hürzeler, it was clear that his time at the club was not going to be long-lasting.

And it would be Chelsea who purchased the forward for a sum of £50 million this summer, while Watford pocketed another £4 million from the deal.

Pedro quickly became the main man up top for the Blues, overtaking fellow summer arrival Liam Delap in the pecking order. He went on to make three appearances and score three goals as Enzo Maresca's Chelsea lifted the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup.

His first Chelsea goal against his boyhood club was a sign of just how fantastic Pedro's rise has been since his initial departure from Fluminense to join Watford.

The Hornets only saw a snapshot of the player that he is likely to go on to become following his big move, but they struck gold with the initial deal to bring him to British shores.

The Brazilian would blossom at Vicarage Road, before bringing in a fair sum of cash for the club, even after his departure.