Joao Pedro names Chelsea ace he didn’t think was “that good” before playing with him | OneFootball

Joao Pedro has described Cole Palmer as “magic” and admitted he didn’t think he was “that good” before playing with him.

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The Brazilian joined Chelsea last summer from Brighton in a deal worth up to £60m, and despite Chelsea’s struggles he had a successful campaign.

Pedro scored 20 goals in all competitions with 15 of those coming in the Premier League, none of which were penalties.

Joao Pedro praises Cole Palmer

Pedro was surprisingly left out of the Brazil squad for the World Cup by former Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti, with Brentford’s Igor Thiago selected instead.

The 24-year-old has struck up some good on pitch chemistry with Palmer, which we didn’t get to see a lot of this season due to Palmer’s injury problems.

The pair combined really well at the latter stages of the Club World Cup last summer, and when both at their best, the Blues have a lethal duo on their hands.

Palmer has praised Pedro for his quality this season, and the Brazil international has admitted he didn’t realise how good his team-mate was.

“He’s very intelligent, he’s magic,” he told Rio Ferdinand Presents.

“I said to him before, ‘I didn’t think you were that good.’ And he looked at me. I said, ‘Yeah, but now because I play with him, yeah, he’s different.’ I said to him, ‘Why don’t you come to Brazil? The number 10 there, mate. No problem.’ Because in Brazil, we don’t have this guy.”

Despite missing virtually the entire first half of the campaign, Palmer finished the season with 11 goals and three assists in 34 appearances, but like Pedro he also wasn’t selected for the World Cup.

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In other news…

A return to Manchester City is reportedly a possibility for Cole Palmer, however Chelsea are said to have no intention of selling.

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Palmer has struggled this season, but finished the campaign with ten Premier League goals, but a lack of European football could see him consider his future.

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