Joao Pedro trained with his new Chelsea teammates for the first time on Wednesday morning after completing a £55million move from Brighton.
The Blues confirmed the signing of the 23-year-old attacker on Wednesday, with the Brazilian signed in time to feature in the FIFA Club World Cup quarter-final against Palmeiras on Friday. Joao Pedro has put pen to paper on an eight-year contract at Stamford Bridge and has gone straight to work over at the club’s temporary training base in Miami.
Enzo Maresca’s squad are using the Barry University facilities in Florida before they jet off to Philadelphia on Thursday evening ahead of Friday night’s last eight match. On Wednesday morning, during Joao Pedro’s first training session, his new teammates welcomed him in typical fashion.
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The players formed guard of honour-type parallel lines with Joao Pedro running through the middle and his teammates slapping him on the back as he passed. It is something Chelsea stars do regularly, whether it be for new signings, or if a player has just hit a personal milestone.
Joao Pedro, who will wear the No.20 shirt at Chelsea, is desperate to help his new club win more trophies as he looks to make himself an idol at Stamford Bridge. Speaking in his first interview as a Blues player, the Brazil international said: “I grew up watching the Premier League, and Chelsea were a club that won trophies. So, when you join Chelsea, you can only think one thing: to win trophies.
“Every competition, you have to think, ‘I play for Chelsea and that is my ambition’.” He added: “I used to watch David Luiz, Ramires, Willian – I watched Chelsea a lot. When I was younger, it was a dream to join a big club like them, and now I’m going to get to play for the same team they did. Now I have joined one in Chelsea.
“Now that time has arrived. I’m very excited to play for Chelsea, to fight for every title, every tournament and play in the Champions League. Hopefully, we win as many trophies as possible.”
