Chelsea striker Joao Pedro has extended his contract with the club until 2034. The 24-year-old Brazilian joined Chelsea from Brighton last summer for an initial fee of £55 million, plus an additional £5 million in potential add-ons.
In his debut season, Pedro made a significant impact by scoring 20 goals across all competitions and played a pivotal role in the team’s success at the Club World Cup.
Expressing his happiness, Joao Pedro stated, “I am very happy to sign a new contract with Chelsea. I have always dreamed of playing for a prestigious club, and committing long-term to Chelsea means a lot to me. The club has a rich history of winning and ambitious plans for the future.”
“Everyone is looking forward to this season. We believe we can achieve great things with our strong team and a coach who has a winning mentality.”
When he first joined Chelsea, his contract was reported to extend until 2033. However, that deal actually included an option that allowed for an additional year, meaning it technically ran until 2032 with an option for 2033. Chelsea typically includes such options in their official contract announcements.
Thus, while the new deal has been officially announced as extending through 2034, it includes an adjustment to the terms rather than merely extending the original deal. This approach helps protect Chelsea’s investment in the player—especially given Barcelona’s interest—while also rewarding his performance under a strict wage structure that offers incentives for exceptional play.
This strategy has also been applied previously, as seen with Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson who both moved to higher wage bands following impressive performances.
Last season, Joao Pedro became the first Chelsea striker since Diego Costa to score 20 goals in a campaign without taking penalties. He also contributed significantly to Chelsea’s Club World Cup victory with three goals and has continued his good form, scoring eight goals in seven pre-season matches.
Pedro is expected to be in the starting lineup for Chelsea’s Premier League opener against Fulham on Monday, with new signings Danny Welbeck and Emmanuel Emegha ready to provide support throughout the season.
Due to his success, Chelsea will assign him the number nine shirt, which was previously held by Liam Delap, who is now available for transfer at around £50 million and drawing interest from clubs like Nottingham Forest and Leeds United.
Chelsea plans to offer new contracts to several key players after the transfer window closes, including Levi Colwill and Estevao Willian.