Barcelona have stepped up efforts to sign a new striker, now that it has been confirmed that Robert Lewandowski is leaving the club in the summer. The plan is for a big-money replacement to be brought in, and among the leading candidates being considered is Joao Pedro.
Barcelona first registered their interest in Pedro almost two months ago, and since then, it has progressed quickly. He is one of the two leading targets – the other being Julian Alvarez – that the Catalans are working on, and sporting director Deco is in the process of making arrangements for a summer push.
According to Jijantes (via MD), Deco has travelled to London alongside Bojan Krkic and Joao Amaral to hold talks with Pedro’s representatives. The Catalans have communicated their strong interest in the forward, for whom a deal can be sought now, considering he was left out of Brazil’s squad for the 2026 World Cup.
Barcelona believe that Pedro can be signed for a fee in the region of €70m. They are aware that the 24-year-old is desperate to move to the Spotify Camp Nou this summer, especially considering that Chelsea failed to secure European qualification of any kind after finishing the 2025-26 Premier League season in 10th.
However, Chelsea’s stance is very different to how Barcelona actually see it. The Londoners see Pedro as one of their most important players, and as such, no sale will be considered this summer – not even for a world-record fee, as Ben Jacobs has reported.
Barcelona have set a maximum price of €100m to bring in a new striker, but given that this may not even be enough to sign Pedro this summer, they may be forced to look elsewhere. However, Chelsea’s stance could still change, especially if their player makes a strong push to leave for Catalonia.
