Nineteen-year-old Joao Pedro is the top scorer this season for Watford. In 17 appearances in the Championship, the Brazilian has found the back of the net six times. High-profile clubs such as Real Madrid reportedly are interested in Pedro’s signature.
Joao Pedro Loving Life at Watford
Joao Pedro Has His Say
Pedro missed four matches due to a hamstring problem before returning in the FA Cup against Manchester United. After the narrow defeat at Old Trafford, Pedro told the club website, “It has been really difficult being stuck at home for a while, watching my teammates play. It wasn’t easy. Now I’m happy to be back with the team. My goal is to score 15, so I have a few to go, but if I keep working hard, then I am confident I can make it.”
Pedro arrived in England in the January of 2020 upon his 18th birthday, despite technically signing with Watford when he was 16-years-old. However, he sparsely saw the pitch in the Hornets’ relegation campaign.
“I think I have adapted to English football. It’s different because there is more contact. It’s a contact game, but I try my best every day and I think I am improving. The main thing I’m learning from English strikers is to be very offensive, to always attack the line, to be on the edge of the box and to push the opponents on the line,” said Pedro.
More concretely, in regards to the slight transfer speculation, Pedro insisted, “Hopefully [we will have] a better year, an important year, and hopefully, we are going to go up. Hopefully, I am going to be here for many years.”
Pedro’s Long-Term Future at Watford
Pedro’s insistence he wants to stay with Watford, despite the inevitable transfer interest his record warrants, will excite Hornets fans. With Troy Deeney now 32-years-old and nearing the swan song of his career, the Club needs a new striker to take the reins. Pedro is that attacker.
When Watford signed Richarlison from Fluminense, the same club Pedro arrived from, Richarlison rose to stardom too quickly. A £35 million transfer fee pried Richarlison to Everton after just one season with Watford. Although such a fee is hard to turn down, Pedro’s pleasure at Vicarage Road contrasts with Richarlison’s desire to leave. Clubs vying Pedro’s signature will be discouraged at his positive morale, as this decreases leverage in negotiations.
Pedro, who is thriving in his natural centre-forward role this season, can also play on the wings or as a number 10. His adaptability at such a young age makes him a manager’s dream. Transfer interest for him is impossible to turn away completely. Teenagers scoring at the rate Pedro is in England are hard to find. But, as Pedro insists, he is hoping to be at Watford for a long time. Unless it is for immense profit, the Hornets have nothing to worry about when it comes to him potentially agitating for a move away.
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