Joao Pedro: I didn't come to Chelsea to take Palmer's spot, a friendship was formed

According to ESPN, Joao Pedro said he told Palmer he was not joining Chelsea to take his spot, which led to a friendship between them.

Joao Pedro told ESPN that the welcoming atmosphere in the Chelsea dressing room helped him adapt to the centre-forward role: "I think so, yes – especially at Chelsea, I'm surrounded by top players like Palmer, Reece, and Moises Caicedo.

"My adaptation went smoothly because there hasn't been a recognized striker here for some time. I've been monitoring this position since my time at Brighton – even when playing against them, I knew it could be my opportunity – and thank God, when I arrived here, Palmer was very friendly towards me. He reached out to me and talked to me.

"I told him I was here to help, not to take his place – absolutely not like that.

"So, a friendship was formed, and we've maintained that relationship on and off the pitch. I think that helped me a lot – and now it's the same with Morgan [Rogers] – because we have a great relationship on and off the pitch, always joking around.

"I think that's the reason – when I first arrived, my teammates were really friendly to me; they welcomed me with open arms, wanted to help me, and were willing to support me – so I think that's why I was able to adapt so quickly."

"I feel very comfortable at Chelsea. It's a different season, and the coach has given me a lot of confidence, which I think is a significant reason for my excellent performance this season."

Chelsea, currently fourth in the Premier League, seems to be thriving under Xabi Alonso's preferred 3-4-2-1 formation, and Joao Pedro exemplifies this success.

"I think it's definitely easier," he said. "Having Palmer and Morgan by my side helping me and passing me the ball – you can see, the season has started very well. So I think this will be a very good season for us."

Joao Pedro has progressed considerably throughout his time in England, starting at Watford, then joining Brighton, and finally moving to Chelsea.

He said a pivotal moment came during his time at Watford from 2020 to 2023: "I think staying at Watford after relegation to the Championship in May 2022 was crucial to my success here.

"I trained hard and proved that I could overcome that hurdle. Because many times, when we Brazilian players come to Europe, we always think everything will go smoothly, but reality isn't always like that. We might end up giving up. But I think it was at that moment that I told myself: 'No, I'm here, and I must succeed here.'

"Thank God, I am now at Chelsea.

"I have a tattoo that says: 'There are bad times, and there will be happy times.' I try not to dwell on the past – what's past is past."