Chelsea to rival Newcastle for Joao Pedro, Brighton want over £50m | OneFootball

Chelsea have reignited their interest in Brighton & Hove Albion star Joao Pedro.

According to Jacob Steinberg, The Blues are ramping up efforts to bring him to Stamford Bridge but will face serious competition from Newcastle United.

Chelsea are still mulling over the future of Christopher Nkunku, who is unsettled at the club.

The Frenchman has been repeatedly linked with a move away, with Manchester United the latest team to show interest in the former RB Leipzig star.

Chelsea see Pedro as a player with a similar profile as Nkunku. It would be a like-for-like replacement if they can’t get a deal over the line, but it’s far from straightforward.

Newcastle have already seen a bid in excess of £50 million turned down by Brighton.

The Seagulls would be willing to negotiate a deal, but they’ve made it clear that they won’t offer a cut-price deal on a player that cost them around £30m in the summer of 2023.

Pedro’s stock skyrocketed last season when he returned 10 goals and six assists in 27 Premier League games. Brighton insist he won’t be sold cheaply.

Earlier this month, there were rumours that the Seagulls wanted closer to £70m for Pedro. He has three years left on his contract, so Brighton are under no immediate pressure to sell.

But Chelsea and Newcastle are still in the mix. The Blues have held talks over the ‘incredible’ 23-year-old forward and are now pushing hard to finalise a deal.

Pedro’s arrival at Stamford Bridge would likely spell the end for Nkunku and possibly Nicolas Jackson, whose future is also in doubt despite reports that Chelsea aren’t looking to sell.

Meanwhile, Chelsea have agreed a deal to sign Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens.

The Englishman is poised to join the club in a deal worth around £55m, having already agreed a seven-year contract with the West Londoners.