João Pedro Junqueira de Jesus

João Pedro's move to Chelsea in the summer of 2025 followed a path that ran through two English clubs before he ever kicked a ball in west London. He left Fluminense for Watford, where he made 104 appearances and scored 23 goals, numbers that persuaded Brighton & Hove Albion to pay a club-record fee to sign him. At the Amex he continued to score at a similar rate, contributing 19 goals in 58 appearances before Chelsea agreed to pay £55 million plus £5 million in add-ons to bring him in, alongside a seven-year contract that runs until 2033.

He wears the number 9 shirt for Chelsea. His route to England began in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil, where he first came through the ranks.

His international recognition arrived later than his club form might have suggested. João Pedro made his senior debut for Brazil in November 2023, coming on as a substitute for Vinícius Júnior in a defeat to Colombia. He has since collected caps for the senior side without yet finding the net at that level. Before that step up, he had also represented Brazil's Olympic squad at Under-23 level, debuting against Morocco in August 2023.

At Chelsea, the scale of the outlay is notable.