Chelsea’s signing of Joao Pedro will see the Brazilian become Watford’s new record sale thanks to a secret sell-on clause that will take his fee over what they previously received for Richarlison.
Watford sold Joao Pedro to Brighton in 2023. Though the fee was never confirmed at the time, Confidential has been told that transfer was worth £30million rising to £35m.
Chelsea are now signing the 23-year-old for £55m rising to £60m, and Watford will be due 20 per cent of the profit being made by Brighton. That will be worth £5m to the Championship club.
According to Watford insiders, that chunk of cash will officially take him above the money they ended up making on Richarlison when he was sold to Everton in 2018.
Meanwhile, Joao Pedro trained with his new Chelsea team-mates on Wednesday morning in Miami.
Joao Pedro completed his move to Chelsea on Wednesday and he has already joined up with his new team in Miami
The Brazilian will be available to take on Palmeiras from his homeland in Friday’s Club World Cup quarter-final
The sell-on clause in the deal that brought him from Watford to Brighton means he is now the Hornets’ record sale
DJORDJE A WANTED MAN
Premier League newboys Sunderland are interested in Djordje Petrovic, though they are only one of a number of clubs across Europe who like the Chelsea goalkeeper.
Bournemouth are another side who are searching for a goalie and have a good relationship with the Blues, from whom they loaned Kepa Arrizabalaga last season.
Kepa completed his £5m switch across the capital to Arsenal this week, making it six times in seven seasons that the Gunners have signed a player from the Blues – following David Luiz, Willian, Jorginho, Kai Havertz and Raheem Sterling.
COLWILL: ‘CHELSEA ARE FOR WINNERS ONLY’
Confidential spoke with Levi Colwill a few days ago and asked him on the impending break that he and his team-mates will receive from Chelsea once they exit the Club World Cup.
They are due to get at least three weeks of downtime ahead of the next Premier League season. That will start on August 15, with the final of the Club World Cup on July 13, should they get there.
Colwill said: ‘Of course, playing for such a long time, it takes a lot out of you. But we’re not really thinking about holiday because we want to try and win this tournament.
‘When it does come around, of course we are going to use up as much time as we can to spend with our friends and family and hopefully try to reset as quick as possible for the next season.
‘I probably won’t do anything for a week, maybe two weeks, I’ll see how I’m feeling. After that, you’ve got to start getting ready for pre-season. It comes around quick. You don’t want to be lacking when it comes to that because the gaffer will get on to you.’
Levi Colwill has positioned himself as a leader in the Chelsea squad
The England centre back demands that every new player understands that the club are winners
Colwill was also extremely critical of himself, saying when asked what he would like to work on: ‘We could be here for ages, to be honest. I know I am nowhere near where I would like to be in the future. There are so many areas of my game that aren’t good enough.
‘I think I’ve seen that this season. Defending one v one has been tough this season but I think I’ve proved that I’m getting a bit better towards the end and just being on the ball. I’m good at times when I’m trying to make passes and there are other times where I’ve been a bit lazy and you can tell. There are so many things I need to improve.’
I get the sense from speaking with him that Colwill is a leader, as he also said: ‘We’re just trying to reinforce to the young boys, to the boys coming in, that this club is for winners only. That’s what we all need to do and strive towards. That’s what we want to do together.’
Can they win the Club World Cup? He replied: ‘Yeah, why not?’
DILLO DING DILLO GONE
Farewell to Andy Dillon of The Sun, their Chelsea correspondent who is leaving his newspaper after 26 years once this Club World Cup finishes in the United States.
If you ever see an interesting line from a Chelsea press conference, chances are that ‘Dillo’ got it out of the manager.
This tournament in the USA is his last swansong in his post and we’ll miss his forever-friendly presence at Cobham. He’s helped the younger reporters more than he knows.
IT’LL BE ALL WHITE ON THE NIGHT
FIFA’s media app – which has been a handy tool for checking information at the Club World Cup – tells us what shirt colours each side are set to wear in their upcoming game.
Palmeiras and their Chelsea-bound superstar Estevao Willian will be wearing green on Friday against Chelsea
For this Friday in Philadelphia, it states Chelsea will be wearing their white away shirts with green shorts, and Palmeiras will wear their green home shirts with white shorts.
Clubs can push back if they believe they ought to be allowed to wear their usual colours.
LIVID LEVI FREE TO PLAY, PER FIFA INSIDERS
Back to Colwill. He was caught on camera having an X-rated rant at referee Slavko Vincic during Chelsea’s win over Benfica when he awarded the Portuguese side their controversial penalty, scored by Angel Di Maria.
’F***ing s***, you’re f***ing s***, you’re s*** referee… disgrace,’ Colwill said according to a lip reader while wagging his finger in the official’s face.
In his defence, it was a silly handball called by Vincic. FIFA officials are surprised that he did not book Colwill at the time, and Confidential has been told it is highly unlikely that the Club World Cup’s disciplinary team will take further action, leaving him free to face Palmeiras this Friday.
RAHEEM WAITING FOR WORD FROM CHELSEA
Raheem Sterling is now officially back in the arms of Chelsea with his loan at Arsenal having ended, but he has yet to hear on what is next for his future with the Club World Cup still ongoing.
Sterling is one of those available for sale this summer and still only 30 years old, the winger would not mind staying in the Premier League.
Chelsea have held talks with West Ham over Mohammed Kudus and did bring up the possibility of sending players in the opposite direction. However, the Hammers have indicated they are not interested in that idea and would prefer purely a cash sale.
Raheem Sterling is back at Chelsea after his Arsenal loan spell but he has not been given any indication over his future
Chelsea are in talks with West Ham over Mohammed Kudus, but the Hammers want a straight cash deal rather than a player swap
SO, ANYONE ELSE EXCITED FOR NEXT SUMMER’S WORLD CUP?
Confidential experienced deja vu on Monday as we flew from Charlotte to Philadelphia in a further sign of what supporters could encounter when the United States hosts the World Cup next summer.
Just like in Chelsea versus Benfica, when that Club World Cup game was suspended for two hours due to lightning striking nearby, we found ourselves twiddling thumbs with scarce updates as we sat on our plane that was supposed to be flying into Philly.
Storms surrounding Pennsylvania’s biggest city meant we were forced to sit on our flight for an extra five hours.
Once we had finally receiving clearance to land in Philadelphia, we were told lightning meant the luggage could not be offloaded from the plane as another two-hour wait ensued. ‘Welcome soccer fans!’ read one sign in the arrivals hall.
ESTEVAO ESCAPES BRITISH PRESS PACK
With Chelsea facing Palmeiras, the Brazilian club were inundated with requests for Estevao Willian to speak to the British press pack who are here in Philadelphia to cover the club he is joining.
While we were initially optimistic, unfortunately we have been told that the 18-year-old wonderkid is not going to be put up, with him still trying to get to grips with the English language ahead of moving to London.
