Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe missed out on a huge talent when they let Joao Pedro slip through their fingers in the summer of 2022. The Brazilian was all set for a move to the north-east before a late change of direction saw the £30million transfer collapse.
The Magpies reportedly decided to keep their options open despite reaching a full agreement with Watford. And when the opportunity came to snap up their priority target, Alexander Isak, they dropped their pursuit of Joao Pedro and spent big on the Swede instead.
While Isak has been a huge success on Tyneside, hindsight has shown Newcastle chiefs that they should have gone all out for Joao Pedro too.
The versatile forward spent another season with Watford after missing out on his move to St. James’ Park. And his 11-goal showing in the Championship was enough to convince transfer market gurus Brighton to part with £30m last summer.
As they have done many times in recent years, the Seagulls’ decision was bang on the money. Now 22 years old, Joao Pedro enjoyed by far the best season of his career in 2023/24, bagging 20 goals in 40 games across all competitions.
This term he is once again showing why Brighton spent big bucks on him, as after drawing a blank against Everton on the Premier League’s opening weekend, he has netted in successive games against Manchester United and Arsenal.
An unbeaten start against such a high standard of opposition stands new manager Fabian Hurzeler in good stead to achieve success at Brighton. It also bodes well for Joao Pedro and his team-mates, who can continue enjoying their football and punching above their weight.
“I think (Hurzeler) is a very good person,” said the Brazilian after scoring a stoppage-time winner against United last month. “He always tries to push us to believe in ourselves, to keep it going.
“I think it was another big game for us, another three points and this is what he wants: to fight, push, until the end.”
Joao Pedro rose through the ranks at boyhood club Fluminense and took the leap of faith by joining Watford in 2019. His Premier League exploits in the years since have earned him recognition on the international stage, having made his senior Brazil bow last November in a defeat to Colombia.
