Chelsea have reportedly stolen a march on their rivals in the race to sign Brighton & Hove Albion forward Joao Pedro.
The Brazil international currently finds himself out of contention at the Amex Stadium due to an alleged bust-up with defender Jan Paul van Hecke.
However, that will not take away from the 23-year-old's impact with the Seagulls this campaign, a total of 10 goals and six assists coming from 27 appearances in the Premier League.
Head coach Fabian Hurzeler has spoken of his desire to retain the versatile attacker's services in the long term, but Brighton would consider opportunities to make a substantial profit on the £30m that they shelled out in 2023.
In recent weeks, the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea have all been credited with an interest in signing Pedro once the market reopens in June.
© Iconsport
Chelsea become frontrunners for Pedro?
According to Ge.Globo, Chelsea have signalled their intent to win the race for Pedro with a big-money proposal.
The report alleges that the West Londoners are prepared to try to sign Pedro in a deal worth €60m (£50.3m) and want him in their squad for next month's Club World Cup.
Talks could intensify as early as next week once Brighton have concluded their Premier League campaign and Chelsea have played the Conference League final versus Real Betis on Wednesday.
Chelsea are no strangers to doing business with their Brighton counterparts having previously brought in head coach Graham Potter, defender Marc Cucurella and midfielder Moises Caicedo.
Levi Colwill and Billy Gilmour have also moved in the opposite direction in previous years, and both clubs will want to maintain a healthy working relationship.
© Imago
Will Brighton cash in?
Given the recent training-ground bust-up and Hurzeler not being prepared to recall him for the final game of the season, it is plausible that Pedro has played his last game for Brighton.
With 30 goals and 10 assists from 70 games in all competitions, the former Watford man has provided value for money, but the time feels right for him and Brighton to go their separate ways.
The business model of Brighton revolves around signing players and selling them for a profit, and all boxes are ticked in this situation.
Chelsea may see Pedro as a direct replacement for Christopher Nkunku who is expected to depart Stamford Bridge over the coming months.
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Darren Plant
