João Pedro makes statement on full Chelsea debut | OneFootball

João Pedro couldn’t have scripted his full Chelsea debut any better.

The Brazilian striker marked his first start for the Blues with two brilliant goals in a 3–0 win over Fluminense - the very club where he began his football journey. The performance fired Chelsea into the final of the FIFA Club World Cup and gave fans a glimpse of why the club paid £60 million to sign him from Brighton & Hove Albion just last week.

Having come off the bench in Saturday’s quarter-final win over Palmeiras, Pedro was handed a starting spot in the semi-final - partly thanks to Liam Delap’s suspension and made it count in style. Two goals, one in each half, and suddenly he’s not just the new guy anymore.

To make things even more impressive, he’s now in rare company. Since 2000, only four other Chelsea players have scored a brace on their first start for the club: Jesper Gronkjaer, Oscar, Demba Ba and Michy Batshuayi. João Pedro’s name now joins that exclusive list.

His goals also carry weight off the pitch. Chelsea are set to earn around £21.9 million just for reaching the final, where they’ll face either Real Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain. That pushes their total tournament earnings to £33.5 million - and that’s before the participation fee, which is believed to be close to £28 million. All in all, the Blues have already made back more than the fee they paid for Pedro, with a potential £7.5 million still to come if they lift the trophy.

Given the financial pressures of meeting the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules - especially after a summer spend nearing £200 million - that prize money could make a real difference.

Enzo Maresca’s new-look Chelsea are clearly serious about refreshing their attack. Alongside Pedro, the club have brought in Jamie Gittens from Borussia Dortmund, Liam Delap from Ipswich, and Palmeiras’ young star Estevão Willian.

It’s still early days, but João Pedro has already given Chelsea fans something to get excited about.