Chelsea Set to Secure Joao Pedro as Long-Term No 9

Chelsea are preparing to tie Joao Pedro to one of the longest contracts in the Premier League as they move to reward the Brazilian’s spectacular first year at Stamford Bridge.

The club are set to renew the striker’s deal through to 2034 before the new league campaign kicks off. Senior figures at Chelsea are confident the paperwork will be completed in time, while people close to the 24-year-old insist a full agreement is already in place on a contract running to 2032, with an option for the club to extend it by a further two years.

Whichever version you follow, the message is clear: Chelsea see Joao Pedro as the centrepiece of their attack for the next decade.

Signed from Brighton last summer for an initial £55m, plus £5m in add-ons, the Brazil international has quickly become one of the club’s biggest success stories of the post-Roman Abramovich era. Inside the building, his impact is being talked about in those terms.

Impressive Numbers

The numbers back it up. Last season, Joao Pedro became the first Chelsea striker since Diego Costa to hit 20 goals in a single campaign without the help of penalties. He carried that form onto the global stage too, scoring three times during Chelsea’s Club World Cup-winning run last summer.

Pre-Season Form

The momentum has not slowed. Across pre-season, he has struck eight goals in seven matches, sharpening both his finishing and his status as the undisputed first-choice centre-forward.

That form has pushed him to the front of the queue for Chelsea’s Premier League opener away at Fulham on Monday. He is expected to lead the line at Craven Cottage, with new arrivals Danny Welbeck and Emmanuel Emegha brought in to support him and provide depth across a long season.

The club have underlined his growing importance in a more symbolic way as well.

Joao Pedro has been handed the iconic number nine shirt, a jersey that has weighed heavily on several of his predecessors. Liam Delap has given up the number and is now available for transfer, with Chelsea valuing the forward at around £50m. Nottingham Forest and Leeds United are monitoring the situation and considering a move.

For Chelsea, the picture is simple: the attack now belongs to Joao Pedro. The contract, the shirt, the goals – all of it points in one direction.