Chelsea move to renew Joao Pedro contract amid Barcelona interest

Chelsea have decided to extend Joao Pedro’s contract and improve his salary in an effort to end Barcelona’s interest in the Brazil forward.

Barcelona’s pursuit of the Chelsea player comes as the Spanish club have been unable to complete a deal for Julian Alvarez, the Atletico de Madrid striker. They are also dealing with a shortage of options in attack following the departure of Robert Lewandowski.

Mundo Deportivo, citing The Athletic, reports that Chelsea acted quickly after Barcelona and Arsenal showed interest in Joao Pedro. Both clubs were prepared to make offers of more than 100m euros for the 24-year-old.

Chelsea have judged Joao Pedro to be unavailable for transfer and immediately began work on a new contract, including improved financial terms, to secure his future at Stamford Bridge.

The decision to renew his deal has been taken despite his existing contract running until 2032. It is understood to reflect the club’s strong belief in his ability and his importance to their long-term plans.

Negotiations accelerated as interest from leading European clubs increased. Chelsea’s response was to make clear that they did not intend to consider Joao Pedro’s departure in the near future.

The forward has impressed since joining Chelsea, scoring 20 goals and providing six assists in 50 appearances. He also played a prominent role in the club’s campaign at the FIFA Club World Cup.

Joao Pedro has made an impressive start to the 2026-27 season. In a friendly against Australian side Western Sydney, he scored a hat-trick and supplied an assist as Chelsea won 6-4.

His performances have strengthened the view inside Chelsea that he should form part of the team around which the club builds its future. The Premier League club remain committed to keeping him, while Barcelona’s interest has prompted them to reinforce that position through a new contract and improved wages.

Chelsea’s move is designed to prevent a transfer battle developing, with both Barcelona and Arsenal previously willing to exceed the 100m-euro mark. The club’s stance is that Joao Pedro is central to its project and is not available for sale.

The report was published on Sunday, 2 August 2026, at 13:40 by FilGoal.