Brighton have confirmed the signing of Watford forward Joao Pedro for a club-record deal. At the Amex Stadium, the 21-year-old forward has agreed to a five-year contract that will begin when the summer transfer market opens at the conclusion of the current campaign. Pedro has scored 11 goals in 35 Championship games for Watford this season. He was a member of the Hornets’ 2020 and 2022 Premier League playoff teams. The deal surpasses the Seagulls’ acquisition of defender Adam Webster from Bristol City in August 2019 for almost £20 million.
“We’ve had Joao on our radar for a while, and he’s also drawn a lot of attention from around Europe. In light of this, we are happy to have achieved an agreement with an important objective for the club before the summer transfer market opens. It is also excellent for Joao Pedro to be able to concentrate on the upcoming season now that his immediate future is secure,” Brighton technical director David Weir said. “He is a fantastic young prospect who is swift, technically excellent, and goal-oriented. He will be a great addition to our current front line. With more than 100 games played for Watford and solid experience in both the Premier League and Championship, he has also adjusted well here.”
In the meanwhile, Brighton will anticipate proposals far higher than the £70 million rejected for Moises Caicedo in January to authorize his departure as well as Alexis Mac Allister’s this summer. Due to the club’s avoidance of release clauses, according to CEO Paul Barber, the players’ lengthy contracts are not believed to have them. Caicedo and Mac Allister have both been key players for Brighton this season and, as a result, have drawn several offers, giving the Seagulls an advantageous negotiation position.
Caicedo signed new contracts in March that would keep them with the team through 2027, with an additional year’s option. Arsenal, who had their £70 million bid for the Ecuadorian international rejected during the winter transfer window, is still interested in him. Although Manchester United, Chelsea, and Liverpool have all indicated interest in Caicedo, Liverpool has been actively wooing Mac Allister’s team. The Argentine international is at the top of Jurgen Klopp’s list of prospective targets.
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