Brighton secure signing of Brazilian forward Joao Pedro from Watford

The 21-year-old will join the Seagulls on a contract until June 2028

Ed Elliot
Friday 05 May 2023 11:55 EDT
Joao Pedro has agreed a move to Brighton (Isaac Parkin/PA)
Joao Pedro has agreed a move to Brighton (Isaac Parkin/PA) (PA Wire)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Brighton have announced the signing of Brazilian forward Joao Pedro from Watford for an undisclosed fee.

The 21-year-old will join the Seagulls on a contract until June 2028 when the summer transfer window opens.

Pedro, who moved to the Hornets from Fluminense in January 2020,  has scored 11 goals in 35 Sky Bet Championship outings this term.

Albion technical director David Weir told his club’s website: “Joao has been a long-term target of ours and he has also attracted a lot of interest from across Europe.

“He’s a brilliant young talent, technically very good, quick and with an eye for goal. He will complement our existing forward line very well.

“He also has settled well here (in England), with good experience of both the Premier League and Championship and more than 100 games for Watford.”

Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi last week described Pedro as a “great player”.

He scored a total of 24 goals in 109 appearances in all competitions for Watford.

While the cost of the transfer has not been disclosed by either club, a statement from the Hornets described the initial fee and potential add-ons as “among the very highest” secured in English Football League history.

Watford technical director Ben Manga told his club’s website: “It can be a surprise to no one that Joao Pedro leaves us now for the Premier League.

“Supporters will understand this agreement is right for all involved. This early action allows us to plan an effective transfer window as we seek to build a competitive team for next season.”

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in