Barcelona officials have travelled to London to pursue a summer deal for Chelsea forward Joao Pedro, according to reports from Spain.
The Brazil international enjoyed a breakout season with Chelsea, winning the club’s Player of the Year award after scoring 20 goals and providing six assists in 50 appearances during the 2025-26 campaign. Despite his recent form and importance to the team, Barcelona has identified Pedro as a potential replacement for Robert Lewandowski, who will leave the club when his contract expires at the end of June.
While Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez is reportedly Barcelona’s primary target, a deal has yet to materialize, leading them to consider Pedro as an alternative. Sporting director Deco, scout Joao Amaral, and club chief Bojan are all in London to initiate advanced discussions, as reported by Gerard Romero, a specialist in Barcelona transfer news.
Chelsea have publicly stated their unwillingness to sell Pedro after just one season at Stamford Bridge, with Fabrizio Romano asserting that even a world-record bid would not be enough to pry him away. However, the presence of Barcelona’s delegation signals a serious intent from the Spanish club, and Chelsea will be concerned by the possibility of losing their star attacker.
Pedro has not publicly expressed a desire to leave Chelsea, but speculation persists. The 25-year-old’s departure would be a significant blow to the Blues, particularly with Xabi Alonso taking charge as manager and needing key players to build around. The gap in quality between Pedro and potential backup options was evident last season, and Chelsea are unlikely to be able to afford a comparable replacement given other areas of the squad needing reinforcement.
Some reports suggest that selling Enzo Fernandez or Marc Cucurella might be more strategically sound for Chelsea, but losing Pedro would significantly impact Alonso’s plans for the upcoming season. The Brazilian is expected to be a central figure in the team under the new manager.
