Joao Pedro: Who is Brighton & Hove Albion's new record signing? | OneFootball

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Brighton’s recruitment department rarely miss is a lesson most Premier League viewers have picked up on at some point or another in recent years. The Seagulls transfer policy is a structure many clubs have attempted to mimic to varying degrees of success.

Poaching young and exciting prospects with bags of untapped potential and serious room for development for minor fees has been the strategy that has seen the former South Coast minnows go from lower-league strugglers to a Premier League side realising their European dreams.

Of course, there is method to the data-driven approach employed by head of recruitment Sam Jewell, and his predecessor, Dan Ashworth. Together the pair have made a collective fortune of over £200 million over the last few seasons, with that figure set to further skyrocket following the prospective big-money sale of Moises Caicedo.

The Seagulls' spending has been so shrewd, that the club have only recently set a new record for their biggest transfer fee with the acquisition of Brazilian prodigy, João Pedro from Watford, a deal that symbolises one of the best transfers of the window so far.

If previous signings are anything to go by, this could be quite the mutually beneficial deal, and one that could see Brighton bank millions, and Pedro establish himself as the star he was thought to be upon his Watford arrival in 2020, but who exactly is the former wonderkid?

Who is João Pedro?

The glitz, glamour, and mega riches of football stardom often make those involved in the sport seem detached from reality. Footballers are enveloped in a bubble from a young age, media trained to maximum effect and sworn to a strict code of professionalism.

João Pedro’s upbringing was as far removed from that common misconception as humanly possible; growing up for the best part of a decade without a paternal influence, due to his father’s criminal conviction as an accessory to murder, which led to a subsequent eight-year imprisonment, Pedro’s early years as a juvenile were far from stable (according to The Athletic, Pedro and his father are now no longer in contact).

Born in 2001 in the municipality that is Ribeirão Preto to mother Flavia and father, Chicão an ex-professional footballer who played most notably for Flamengo and Botafogo in Brazil’s Serie A.

Despite a troubled home life, the simple fact he was a Brazilian national combined with his genetic footballing heritage, João Pedro Junqueira Jesus already had football in his blood, and there was certainly a sense of pre-destiny to his rise in the sport.

Having spent his formative years at the same club as his father, Botafogo, he subsequently caught the eye of scouts at Fluminese. Becoming part of Fluminese’s youth setup, Pedro eventually graduated to the club’s first team at just 17, before joining Watford in 2020, taking the leap of faith across the Atlantic at the tender age of 18.

Spending three seasons with the struggling Hertfordshire side, the forward netted 24 goals, and despite the volatile nature of his employers, was a consistent performer in a miserable period for the club.

At just 21 years old, Pedro has already played under 12 managers, with nine of those unsurprisingly coming (and then going) at Watford while stuck in the Pozzo’s revolving door.

Like every young Brazilian growing up playing Joga Bonito on the streets, beaches, and in the favelas, Pedro undoubtedly harbours aspirations to represent his nation at some point in his career, and while that call-up to Fernando Diniz’s squad remains ever-elusive, his move to the South Coast and collaboration with Roberto De Zerbi will hopefully go some way to unlocking that dreamy prospect.

How much is Pedro earning?

Signing for Brighton in 2023’s summer transfer window, Pedro became the Amex Stadium tenants’ record signing, with owner, Tony Bloom shelling out a fee of £30 million for the forward.

It had been previously reported the player was on £25,000 a week, but having put pen to paper on a 5-year contract extension at Watford in September 2022, his salary is likely to have risen upon the renewal of his deal.

Now, as Brighton’s record transfer, and having signed a five-year deal, it is feasible that the player will be one of the club’s highest earners alongside the likes of Adam Lallana, Lewis Dunk, and Pascal Gross, but as yet the figures on his current deal remain undisclosed.

Stylistically, João Pedro can be characterised by that traditional Brazilian stereotype of authentic flair, and creative, unrestrained expression. His level of versatility, especially in forward areas means he can also double-up as a systems player and therefore, slot into Roberto De Zerbi’s possession-based, high-intensity, and highly-organised structure.

A natural, poachers instinct is a key component every top-quality striker must possess to make it in the upper echelons of the game, and while his goal tally of 33 in 139 games may not blow anyone away, turning out for a turbulent Watford side in the midst of an off-the-field crisis, as well as a relegation dogfight all while contending with an ankle injury certainly provides ample mitigation for lack of productivity.

Playing in a progressive, forward-thinking environment could certainly unfasten the reigns that were seemingly binding the centre-forward while at Vicarage Road, and there are few teams as imaginatively dexterous as De Zerbi’s Seagulls.

Arriving at the South Coast with glowing commendation from players as revered as Richarlison who claimed “Joao Pedro has a big future. The kid is talented. If he stays focused, he can go far.” it definitely bodes well for his future at Brighton.

Joao Pedro Career Stats and Facts

Featuring on 31 occasions last term, the centre-forward found the net 11 times, and as per WhoScored, was the highest-rated Championship player during the 2022-23 campaign, chalking up ten MOTM performances in the process.

Despite Watford’s underwhelming 14th place finish, Pedro’s season was a relative success, and up until sustaining an ankle injury that would see him out until the end of the season, was the club’s answer to a Championship cheat code.