Chelsea Opinion: Blues should hold on to Pedro at all costs
According to the Metro, Serie A giants Inter Milan and AC Milan are weighing up a move for Chelsea star Pedro in the summer.
The former Barcelona ace will have only one year left on his current contract at Stamford Bridge come the end of the season and the Serie A giants are very much alert to the situation.
The 31-year-old winger has played a key role for the Blues under Maurizio Sarri this season, accumulating 9 goals and 3 assists from 41 appearances in all competitions.
He has established himself as a trusted lieutenant on the right-hand side of Sarri’s preferred 4-3-3 system and his links with the Serie A giants should be a real cause of concern for the Stamford Bridge faithful, with the transfer ban in place and Eden Hazard looking set for a big-money move to Real Madrid in the summer.
Pedro joined Chelsea from Barcelona back in 2015 and has enjoyed a successful spell at west London, accumulating 37 goals and 23 assists from 173 appearances for the Blues in all competitions.
And the Metro reports that the Spaniard is happy at the club and is planning to extend his stay by putting pen to paper on a new deal, although Chelsea’s stringent policy of offering short-term contracts to players aged 30 or more should see him get a one-year extension only.
To put that into perspective, losing Pedro at the end of the season would be an unfathomable loss for Chelsea given that he is a quality player who has played a key role under Sarri.
There have been plenty of speculations over the futures of Callum Hudson-Odoi and Hazard and there is a strong possibility that the Blues could lose either or both of their prized assets in the summer. Neither of them has signed a new deal and the club might be forced to cash in on them at the end of the season.
Now, that is exactly what makes the presence of Willian and Pedro absolutely invaluable to the team. Chelsea will have high expectations from Christian Pulisic next season but it would be unrealistic to place the youngster in the same cadre along with the Premier League veterans.
With the transfer ban likely to be in effect this summer, the Blues would find it impossible to sign a replacement for Pedro, which in turn would put more pressure on a newcomer like Pulisic.
Truth be told, Pedro has been one of Chelsea’s standout players in a forward line that has often come under criticism for lack of penetration.
Along with Willian and Hazard, the Spaniard is arguably one of the most technically-gifted attackers at the club, who is capable of making a massive difference with goals and assists.
Well, Pedro not only contributes with goals but he is a very smart and intelligent wide-forward who knows exactly how to open up the spaces with elegant touches, clever one-twos and subtle movement in the final third.
He combines his flair and trickery on the ball with his good turn of pace to run aggressively at the opposition’s full-backs, often leaving them for dead with quick changes in direction. Known for his tactical intelligence and good link up play, Pedro is a clinical finisher in front of goal and boasts of high levels of composure in tight situations.
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With the centre-forward spot very much in the air next season, Chelsea need to keep hold of their core of first-team stars and Pedro is undoubtedly amongst the club’s most high-profile players in the attacking third.
As evident from his good run of form this season, the Spaniard is still capable of delivering the goods at the highest level and his experience could prove to be a make or break factor for the Blues next term in the Premier League.
That said, they should leave no stone unturned in their efforts to keep him at the club, and possibly convince him to pen a new deal before the end of the campaign
