Fabian Hurzeler did not shy away from any European aspirations last weekend, and why would he.
Brighton fans led a chorus of chants about the possibility of them playing in the most revered competition in the world next season after the 2-1 win at Bournemouth - the belief is there for everybody involved with the club.
“I don’t listen so they can sing what they want,” Hurzeler said. “I didn’t hear it. I was focused on the game, but I think it is always important to make the supporters proud because in the end they pay a lot of money, they spend a lot of time to support us and it’s our responsibility to give them something back.”
Joao Pedro was among the scorers again. It was his fourth in six Premier League games. He is among the league’s best performers this season and, for him, playing in a competition such as the Champions League only seems right.
Joao Pedro Transfer Value - how much is he worth?
According to our player valuation model, Pedro has a current Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €20.5 million.
Brighton secured the 23-year-old’s signature for €34.2m when his value was about €10m below that. His ETV has stayed at a pretty consistent rate throughout his career.
What does Joao Pedro add to Brighton?
Pedro only spent a small amount of time at Watford under Chris Wilder, but the former Hornets coach recognised the talent of the Brazilian, suggesting that he would go right to the very top when the club sold him to Brighton.
“He’s an incredibly talented player,” he said. “He’ll be coached to play quicker, limit his touches, and focus on his positioning. But he’s strong, quick, and creative - he can see a pass, finish, and make a difference. It’s the right move for him, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he excels and eventually takes another step up in his career. Moving to Brighton is a great step for him.”
Pedro earned his stripes at Watford. It was there he made a name for himself and became a source of intrigue for Premier League clubs. Newcastle had him in mind before they opted to sign Alexander Isak, but he eventually got his move to the Amex Stadium.
Pedro’s dribbling and ability to take on defenders made him a standout. During Wilder’s brief stint at Watford, in his opening game, a 1-0 loss to QPR, Pedro completed a remarkable 10 dribbles. It’s no surprise to hear that it was the highest in a Championship game all season. This was a sign of things to come and no doubt a game that persuaded recruitment teams at Premier League clubs to take an interest.
Pedro initially featured as a defensive midfielder in Brazil for Fluminense, but his attacking attributes stood out and very soon he transitioned to a more attacking role and eventually became a versatile forward.
He joined Watford during their 2019-2020 relegation season, making only three brief substitute appearances. Joao Pedro then returned with them to England’s elite division in the 2021-22 season and netted three goals in 28 appearances, and he has improved massively since then.
Last term, he scored nine goals and provided three assists in 31 games for Brighton, playing as a versatile attacker for Roberto De Zerbi.
It might just be six goals for Pedro so far this season, but he has battled with injuries. With just 370 minutes of action, his goals per 90 minutes stand at an incredible 0.97. Furthermore, this is outperforming his xG which is 0.40 per 90 mins. Very much a modern attacker, Pedro makes 0.97 tackles in the same time, winning almost all of these in the final third.
It’s a relatively small sample size to gauge his ability entirely but the signs are that Pedro is among the most elite calibre of forwards in the world today.
Brighton’s policy as it stands is being that of a selling club, but that could all change should they claim that spot in Europe next season. And if they don’t, you would imagine some of the top brass, such as Arsenal, would be giving Pedro some serious thought.
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