Newcastle United insider believes they might have pipped Chelsea to Joao Pedro had they acted faster last month | OneFootball

Newcastle United have missed out on the services of Joao Pedro to Chelsea, with the Brazilian forward choosing to leave Brighton & Hove Albion for the Stamford Bridge club ahead of the Magpies earlier this week.

The St James’ Park club will now have to look elsewhere for attacking reinforcements and have tabled an improved £55 million bid for Nottingham Forest forward Anthony Elanga.

However, one Newcastle insider has told The Athletic that a deal was there for the taking in mid-June for Pedro had they acted faster.

Until a few weeks ago, the Magpies were under the impression that the 23-year-old was keen on a move to St James’ Park and were the first club to make an official bid in the final fortnight of June despite getting informed that his preference was to stay in the London area.

However, their offer was not close to Brighton’s £60m valuation, and Chelsea eventually pipped them to him as they were convinced he wanted to join them over Newcastle.

The Toons came close to signing Pedro from Watford in 2022, and he admitted in an interview the following year that he was upset for a while about the transfer not going through.

Some at Newcastle believe the episode played a role in his decision this summer, but he also could have had doubts about regular playing time with Alexander Isak the first-choice striker at SJP.

Magpies manager Eddie Howe had planned for Pedro to both complement and stand in for the Sweden international, but he was not convinced and will now continue plying his trade elsewhere.

Elanga could prove to be a better option in the long run, and the Toons will be hoping Forest agree to finally sell their man after they were turned back last summer and last month.

They need to quickly get a new sporting director in place after Paul Mitchell left last month, and they have been linked with a move for former Arsenal assistant sporting director Jason Ayto.