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Barcelona face a tough battle to sign Brazil striker Joao Pedro from Chelsea after transfer reporter Ben Jacobs confirmed the London club are determined not to part with the player this summer, even if he receives a record-breaking bid from the Catalan club.
A critical position at Stamford Bridge
Although the Catalans’ interest in the Brazilian is real, and that scouting talks have already taken place between the two sides, according to the Spanish newspaper “Sport”, “Chelsea” has definitely made its position clear.
The Blues see the 24-year-old Brazilian forward as one of the attacking pillars of the new project under Xabi Alonso, especially after a turbulent season that saw constant changes to the bench, making retaining influential elements a priority.
The exceptional numbers justify the stay
Joao Pedro had a fantastic first season in London, finishing with 20 goals and 9 assists, making him one of the most complete and valuable strikers on the European market, worth between €80m and €100m.
But according to Jacobs’ latest update, Chelsea’s decision not to negotiate his sale goes beyond purely economic criteria, as the London club have leaked that they will not change their mind regardless of the value of the Catalan’s potential offer.
Barcelona are leaving to tempt the Brazilian
Despite Chelsea’s strong stance, the Camp Nou management believe they have various playing cards to convince the Brazilian to move from the cold of London to the warmth of Barcelona.
First paper: Absence of the World Cup
The first drawcard is Joao Pedro’s absence for coach Carlo Ancelotti’s summer at the World Cup, a blow to the player and his entourage that sporting director Deco could use to Barcelona’s advantage.
Second Paper: Champions League
The second draw is the Champions League, as the sporting disaster at Stamford Bridge prevented Chelsea from qualifying for the next leg of Europe’s biggest competition, while the Blues currently occupy a position that qualifies them for the European Conference competition with just one round of the season to go.
Here lies the strength of “Barcelona’s” offer. The prospect of Joao Pedro becoming the main striker of one of the most popular candidates to win the Champions League is a tempting card that Deco is betting on to break the wall of rejection in London.
