Welbeck 'a very important person for me in life', says Joao Pedro

Joao Pedro described Danny Welbeck as "a very important person for me in life" as he prepares to play alongside him at a third club.

Welbeck recently completed his move from Brighton to Chelsea, signing a two-year deal with the Blues and becoming the first player over the age of 26 the club have paid a fee for since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in 2022.

He is a familiar face to Joao Pedro, who first played alongside Welbeck at Watford in his first season in English football back in 2019-20, when the Brazilian was just 18.

The pair then reunited at Brighton in 2023, playing together for two more years, and their link-up was on show again when they lined up together in Chelsea's pre-season loss to Juventus on Wednesday.

"Personally, Danny is a very important person for me in life," Joao Pedro told Chelsea's website.

"When I came to England, I didn't speak English, but he always tried to be around me to support me and help me develop.

"This will now be the third time that we have played together, and I think, as he did with me in the past, he will give support to everyone in the squad.

"Danny is this guy; he is very helpful and wants the best for everyone around him and for the team.

"Everyone knows that he is a top player. I'm looking forward to playing alongside him again, and I think he will be a very good person to have in the group."

Welbeck joins Chelsea with great Premier League pedigree, having made 400 appearances in the competition.

The Blues have not had a player with 400+ top-flight appearances play for them in the competition since John Terry's 492nd and final outing in May 2017. 

During his time at Brighton, Welbeck made 201 appearances across all competitions, scoring 51 goals and providing 13 assists. He also departs as the Seagulls' top scorer in Premier League history, having found the back of the net 46 times.

Another former Brighton player now reuniting with Welbeck is Moises Caicedo, who is confident the 35-year-old will have a big impact at Stamford Bridge. 

"When he arrived here, I gave him a hug because I was so happy when he signed," Caicedo said.

"As a player and as a person, Danny is top. He helped me a lot when I arrived at Brighton. He was so important for me, and to have him here at Chelsea, it feels good.

"I am so happy to have him here, and he is going to help us a lot for sure. With his mentality, he has everything, and he is going to be so important for us."