Newcastle United are in discussions with Brighton over a move for attacker Joao Pedro this summer, but Eddie Howe has made a new demand which could jeopardise the deal.
With Callum Wilson likely to leave and William Osula still untrusted by Eddie Howe, it comes as no surprise that Newcastle United’s recruitment team have been tasked with finding a new striker.
The initial feeling was that Newcastle want someone who is happy to join as a backup striker to Alexander Isak, whose place in the starting XI is already solidified next season. Dominic Calvert-Lewin is likely to leave Everton at the expiry of his contract, and Newcastle are reportedly interested. However, it was recently revealed that West Ham and Leeds United have held opening talks for the 28-year-old, so he could end up elsewhere.
Despite those initial thoughts, Newcastle are seriously interested in signing Joao Pedro, with Howe planning to play him and Isak together next season. Talks are underway between Newcastle and Brighton over a move for the 23-year-old, but a deal is yet to be agreed.
Now, a new report has suggested a fresh demand made by Newcastle in talks, which puts the deal at risk of breaking down.
Newcastle United are trying to bargain for a lower Joao Pedro transfer fee
Reports stated that Chelsea were also interested in Pedro, but the Blues have since opened talks with Randal Kolo Muani, so their interest in the Brazilian Pedro may now be cooling.
While talks are still underway, it looks like Newcastle will not be doing any deals until July, once the PSR deadline has passed. The Magpies are due a £73m PSR boost once their losses from their heavy spending in the transfer market three years ago.
Pedro, who is “unsettled”, has a £60m price tag this summer and has already confirmed to his teammates that he wants to leave Brighton after an impressive Premier League season, scoring 10 goals and bagging six assists. However, Newcastle are hoping to pay less than that.
According to inews, Newcastle have the upper hand in talks over Chelsea, but they are looking to pay less than his £60m valuation. That is despite reports that Howe valued Pedro at £60m earlier in June.
With the two teams still locked in discussions, Newcastle could still be forced to pay the whole transfer fee, rather than the cut price they were hoping for.
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Joao Pedro’s statistics show why he is perfect for Newcastle United
Despite having a hot streak and picking up two Premier League suspensions, Pedro was still able to get in amongst the goals while picking up a healthy number of assists as a striker.
With Howe eager to play Pedro and Isak together, some can already visualise how the Magpies could line up next season. With Pedro in the starting XI, he would likely play as a shadow striker, holding the ball up and waiting for Isak to make a run through the backline.
| 2024/25 Premier League Statistics | Joao Pedro |
| Appearances | 27 |
| Minutes | 1,953 |
| Goals | 10 |
| Assists | 6 |
| Chances Created/90 | 3.12 |
The 23-year-old had a similar role at Brighton and was in Europe’s top five strikers under 23 for big chances created. Isak usually had to rely on Jacob Murphy for big chances last season, with the right-winger putting in devastating crosses for him, but Isak could soon have a central line of support to give him even more opportunities of finding the back of the net.
Howe is a master of getting players to adapt to new roles and positions, and while it will not be a new responsibility for Pedro, Howe will surely manage to get the most out of him if he plays in attack with Isak.
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