Joao Pedro has praised Chelsea's surprise signing of Danny Welbeck, describing the former England striker as a 'top player' who will be a valuable addition both on and off the pitch. Chelsea completed the move for the 35-year-old at the start of the month after agreeing a deal with Brighton.
Welbeck's return to London
Welbeck, who began his career at Manchester United and also played for Arsenal, has signed a two-year contract at Stamford Bridge. Neither club confirmed the transfer fee, but Chelsea are believed to have paid Brighton around £7 million for the forward, who scored 13 goals in the Premier League last season.
Pedro first encountered Welbeck when the Brazilian arrived in England in 2020, and the striker continued to support him during their time together at Brighton. Pedro regards Welbeck as a 'very important person' in his life and believes the experienced forward will be a positive influence in the Chelsea dressing room.
Pedro's admiration for Welbeck
'Personally, Danny is a very important person for me in life,' Pedro told Chelsea's official website from the club's pre-season training camp. 'When I came to England, I didn't speak English, but he always tried to be around me to support me and help me develop.
'This will now be the third time that we have played together and I think, as he did with me in the past, he will give support to everyone in the squad. Danny is this guy; he is very helpful and wants the best for everyone around him and for the team.
'Everyone knows that he is a top player. I'm looking forward to playing alongside him again and I think he will be a very good person to have in the group.'
Caicedo also endorses the move
Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo also welcomed Welbeck's arrival, having played alongside him at Brighton. 'When he arrived here, I gave him a hug because I was so happy when he signed,' Caicedo said. 'As a player and as a person, Danny is top.
'He helped me a lot when I arrived at Brighton. He was so important for me and to have him here at Chelsea, it feels good. I am so happy to have him here and he is going to help us a lot for sure. With his mentality, he has everything and he is going to be so important for us.'
Welbeck's pride in joining Chelsea
Welbeck expressed his excitement about the move, saying, 'When you hear of the interest from Chelsea, it's something that fills you with such immense pride. I know a few of the boys already and I've had fantastic conversations with the manager and already feel that connection.
'I've got that fire in my belly and I'm ready to give it everything for this club to make everyone at Chelsea, and the supporters, proud.'
Chelsea have backed manager Xabi Alonso with over £300 million worth of summer signings as they aim to improve on last season's 10th-place finish.
