He had joined from Championship side Watford, having caught the eye of many people during his time with the Hornets.
Follow Us
Brighton & Hove Albion secured the services of one of the brightest young prospects out there in the form of Brazilian attacker Joao Pedro. He had joined from Championship side Watford, having caught the eye of many people during his time with the Hornets. Pedro can play in multiple positions up top and can be a real handful for opposition defenders. He is good with the ball at his feet and is capable of getting out of tight spaces using his excellent dribbling abilities.
He was being linked with many teams in the past and it is Brighton that has secured his services in the end. It is to be noted that former Albion striker Glenn Murray had spent the first half of the 2020-21 season on loan with Watford when he first came across Joao Pedro. Needless to say, Murray was extremely impressed with the striker that he urged Brighton to sign him.
“I was that impressed that within a week I had called Brighton and said ‘you need to buy this kid! When I was with him he was only 19, but he made the game look easy. I said to Albion you need to get this kid because he’s special. I’ll never forget when Ben White stepped up to the first team with us at Brighton and everyone was thinking ‘he’s really good’,” he was quoted as saying by the club’s website.
“You can have a lot of kids step in and they don’t necessarily catch your eye, but there’s one every now and then where they step up and you know they’re decent. Joao was that player, it felt like a strong squad at the time but Joao stood out on all levels. He is very bubbly, he’s a really nice, happy lad who loves playing football. He’s never happier than when he’s got a ball at his feet to be honest. He’s always smiling, laughing and having a bit of banter. He’s a good kid. There is that jokey side to him, but once he crosses the white line there’s a steeliness to him. He’s built, he’s athletic.”
Glenn Murray also believes that it will not take long for Joao Pedro to settle down with his new club. “Joao knows a couple of the players, but he has lived in the country for three years now, he will have adapted to the lifestyle, culture and weather. He understands the football pyramid in England and I think he will hit the ground running. It can only help him having the South American players here already. I have played abroad and you tend to gravitate towards your own countrymen because you’ve got that in common. I can only see positive things happening with Joao in a Brighton shirt, I am really excited about this signing,” he elaborated.
Murray believes there are exciting South American players in their ranks, as he cannot wait to watch them in the coming season. “Him, Facundo Buonanotte and Julio Enciso, three South American youngsters loving life in the Premier League will be something special to watch. He will benefit from the structure at Brighton, he will have a clear understanding of what Roberto expects from him and Roberto will give him a clear path as to how to bring his ability to the fore,” he added.
The former striker also believes that the team’s system and the style of play will allow the Brazilian to thrive at Brighton. “We’ve got a system and a style that the club maintains regardless of who is in charge. I’ve seen Joao in Championship games where he was nearly given a free role because he was that good. But I think we will see a much better player than we have seen before because he will have that structure,” he explained.
More Football Stories:
Lionel Messi was detained by Chinese police at Beijing airport. Here’s what happened
Premier League: Which players have scored the most goals in a single season?
EPL stats: Which clubs have conceded the most last-minute winners in Premier League?
EPL stats: Which clubs have scored the most number of last-minute winners in Premier League?
Premier League: Who are the players with the most number of assists in EPL history?
