How Cole Palmer helped Joao Pedro become central to Chelsea’s attack

Joao Pedro says an early conversation with Cole Palmer laid the foundations for a friendship that has become a key part of Chelsea’s attacking success.

The Brazilian joined Chelsea from Brighton in 2025 and scored 20 goals and supplied nine assists in 50 appearances during the 2025-26 season. His contribution earned him the club’s Player of the Season award.

Pedro has carried that form into the current campaign under coach Xabi Alonso, forming an effective attacking trio with Palmer and Morgan Rogers.

The 25-year-old told ESPN that Palmer helped him settle after his move to Stamford Bridge.

“I told him I was coming to help, that I didn’t want to take his spot – nothing like that,” Pedro said.

“And that’s where a friendship was born that we carry on both on and off the field.”

Pedro said Chelsea’s welcoming dressing-room atmosphere had also helped him develop as a centre-forward. He highlighted Reece James and Moises Caicedo among those who had supported his adaptation to the club.

He has scored five goals and provided three assists in six Premier League appearances this season.

“At Chelsea I feel very comfortable,” he said. “It’s a different season, with a coach who gives me a lot of confidence, and I think that’s a big part of my performance so far this season.”

Alonso’s preferred 3-4-2-1 system has placed Palmer and Rogers behind Pedro, giving the striker two creative players capable of supplying him in the final third.

“I think it does make it easier,” Pedro said. “I have Cole and Morgan there to help me, to feed me the passes – you can see that the start of the season has been really good.”

Despite his impressive start for Chelsea, Pedro was not selected by Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti for the 2026 World Cup.

His career in England began with Watford, where he played between 2020 and 2023. He subsequently moved to Brighton before joining Chelsea.

Pedro regards his decision to remain at Watford following their relegation to the Championship in 2022 as an important turning point.

“I worked hard and proved that I could overcome that challenge,” he said. “That’s the moment when I said to myself: ‘No, I came here, and I’m going to succeed here.’”

The forward also described the mindset he uses to deal with difficult periods.

“I have a phrase tattooed on me that says: ‘Just as there are bad moments, there will be happy ones too.’ I try not to focus on the past… what’s done is done.”

Chelsea are fourth in the Premier League and will look to continue their strong start when they host Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.