'I believe in myself' - Chelsea new boy Joao Pedro reveals Ballon d'Or dream & opens up on rejecting Newcastle transfer

Pedro has emerged as one of the Premier League’s in-form forwards at the start of the season, scoring two goals in three games, to add to the three he scored for Chelsea at the Club World Cup. The 23-year-old admits he is aiming for the Golden Boot this season but says his ultimate “dream” is to one day win the Ballon d’Or. 

Pedro’s arrival at Chelsea came after he turned down a move to Newcastle, who had lodged a £50m bid with Brighton earlier in the summer. While the Magpies hoped to pair him with Alexander Isak, the striker instead opted for London and Stamford Bridge. Chelsea eventually wrapped up the deal for £55 million ($74m), rising to £60 million ($80.6m) with add-ons.

Speaking to The Evening Standard, Pedro said: “It would be a dream one day to win the Ballon d’Or. I believe in myself. Everything is possible. Maybe it can happen. Big clubs from England have brought the top strikers from Europe this summer. It will be interesting to compete with them for the Golden Boot.”

The Brazilian also explained why he rejected Newcastle, albeit without directly naming them as potential suitors: “When I was in Brighton, I was missing London a little bit. I had a chance to move to another club, but I chose Chelsea because it’s in London, it’s a big club, and I knew in my head it was the right move.”

Pedro will be aiming to maintain his early-season form when Chelsea take in a trip to Brentford after the international break. He also has his eyes on breaking into Brazil’s starting eleven ahead of the 2026 World Cup, having been selected for September qualifying fixtures against Chile and Bolivia.