Joao Pedro has been linked with a move away from Chelsea in recent weeks, with Barcelona vying for his signature.
The 24-year-old Brazilian international has been outstanding for Chelsea, recording 29 goal contributions this season. Chelsea have been overly dependent on him for goals and creativity, and they simply cannot afford to lose a player like him.
According to Sky Sports, the player is happy at Chelsea despite links to Barcelona, and the development will be a huge boost for the Premier League club. It has been a disappointing season for Chelsea, and they have missed out on European qualification.
They will look to bounce back strongly next year, and they need to keep their best players. They have brought in a quality manager like Xabi Alonso, and he will be determined to keep his best players at the club. Pedro is one of the first names on the team sheet, and losing him would be a devastating blow for the club.
Chelsea must keep Joao Pedro
There have been reports that the player is open to joining Barcelona, but Chelsea will certainly hope that he continues with them. They will look to get back into the UEFA Champions League, and they need the Brazilian attacker to lead the line for them next season.
Meanwhile, the links with Barcelona are hardly a surprise. They need more quality in the attacking unit, especially after the departure of Robert Lewandowski. Barcelona will need to replace the Polish international, and signing the Chelsea player could be a wise decision.
Pedro is entering the peak years of his career, and this could be the right time for him to take on a new challenge. At Barcelona, he might be able to challenge for major trophies immediately. Whereas Chelsea is going through a period of transition.
It will be interesting to see if the South American is willing to stick with them. Meanwhile, the player has a long-term contract with Chelsea, and the club is under no pressure to sell him. Barcelona would have to pay a premium in order to get the deal done. Given their financial constraints, a deal seems highly unlikely.