Joao Pedro, who joined Chelsea in July, initially felt nervous about meeting Cole Palmer. The Brazilian forward transferred from Brighton and Hove Albion during the Club World Cup.
He quickly made an impact by scoring three goals in the tournament, including one in the final. In the Premier League, he has already netted twice and provided two assists in three matches.
Palmer has established himself at Chelsea with impressive performances over two seasons, scoring 37 goals and assisting 19 times in 70 league games. Joao Pedro is eager to achieve more success alongside Palmer after their Club World Cup victory in the United States. “Cole is a superstar,” Joao Pedro told The Standard. “When I came to Chelsea I was a little bit scared about how he was going to react, because I was the main guy at Brighton.”
Joao Pedro expressed his willingness to support Palmer, saying, “I said: Cole, I’m here to help you.” Their on-field chemistry is evident as they aim for more titles together. “He knows I can help him, and I know he can help me,” Joao Pedro added. Despite Palmer’s reserved nature, they discuss their potential success this season.
Their relationship extends off the pitch too. Joao Pedro shared that when he joined Chelsea in the USA, Palmer asked about his goal-scoring targets for the season. They maintain contact regularly; Joao Pedro even texted Palmer after he missed a game against West Ham.
This summer saw several Premier League clubs strengthening their striker positions. Arsenal signed Viktor Gyokeres, Liverpool brought in Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike, Manchester United acquired Benjamin Sesko, Tottenham loaned Randal Kolo Muani, and Newcastle invested heavily in Nick Woltemade.
Joao Pedro is excited about competing with these top strikers for the Golden Boot. His long-term goal is to win the Ballon d’Or. “Big clubs from England have brought the top strikers from Europe this summer,” he noted. “It will be interesting to compete with them for the Golden Boot.”
Joao Pedro remains optimistic about Chelsea’s prospects this season but acknowledges it’s too early to predict winning the Premier League or Champions League. However, he believes they have a strong chance based on their current form. Winning these titles would mark a successful season and elevate players to legendary status.