Chelsea Secures Joao Pedro's Long-Term Future as New No 9

Chelsea are preparing to lock Joao Pedro into the heart of their project for the next decade after deciding to renew the striker’s contract ahead of the new Premier League season.

Club sources at Stamford Bridge are confident the agreement will be wrapped up before Monday’s opener at Fulham. Those close to the 24-year-old go even further: they say a full deal is already in place, running to 2032 with an option for Chelsea to stretch it to 2034.

Either way, the message is clear. Chelsea see Joao Pedro as a cornerstone.

The Brazil international arrived from Brighton last summer for an initial £55m, with a further £5m in add-ons, and has quickly justified the investment. Inside the club, he is viewed as a major success story of their recruitment drive, not just another expensive swing at the market.

The numbers back that up.

Last season, Joao Pedro became the first Chelsea striker since Diego Costa to hit 20 goals in a campaign without the help of penalties. He also delivered on the big stage, scoring three times during Chelsea’s Club World Cup-winning run last summer.

The form has not cooled. Across pre-season he has rattled in eight goals in seven games, walking into the new campaign as the clear first-choice centre-forward.

Barring a late twist, he is expected to lead the line at Craven Cottage on Monday night. New arrivals Danny Welbeck and Emmanuel Emegha are set to operate as cover and competition, but the shirt belongs to Joao Pedro for now.

Quite literally. His rise has persuaded Chelsea to hand him the club’s iconic number nine jersey. Liam Delap has given it up and now finds himself on the market, available for around £50m and drawing interest from Nottingham Forest and Leeds United.

One Brazilian has claimed the shirt and, with a contract that could run to 2034, the stage. The question now is simple: can Chelsea’s new No 9 turn a breakout year into an era?