Brighton & Hove Albion have announced that they have reached an agreement to sign Watford forward Joao Pedro.
The 21-year-old will officially move to the Amex Stadium for undisclosed terms, believed to be a club-record fee, when the summer transfer window opens and will put pen to paper on a five-year contract until 2028.
After beginning his career in his native Brazil with Fluminense, Pedro joined Watford for around £9m in January 2020 and has since developed into a key player for the Hornets.
Pedro has scored 24 goals and provided nine assists in 109 appearances for Watford across all competitions, and has particularly impressed in the Championship this season, contributing with 11 goals and four assists in 35 matches.
The Sao Paulo-born forward found it challenging to adapt to the Premier League with Watford during the 2021-22 campaign, but he will now get another chance to test his mettle in the top flight with European-chasing Brighton.
We are delighted to announced that the club has agreed to sign forward Joao Pedro from Watford for undisclosed terms. 🇧🇷
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) May 5, 2023
🤝 @FirstTouchGames // #BHAFC 🔵⚪️
Speaking to Brighton's official website on Pedro's summer arrival at the club, technical director David Weir said, "Joao has been a long-term target of ours, and he has also attracted a lot of interest from across Europe.
"So, we are delighted to have reached an agreement with a key target for the club ahead of the summer window opening, and it is great for Joao that he can focus on the new season, with his immediate future settled.
"He's a brilliant young talent, technically very good, quick and with an eye for goal. He will complement our existing forward line very well. He also has settled well here, with good experience of both the Premier League and Championship and more than 100 games for Watford.
"We are really looking forward to starting work with him in pre-season, here in the UK and when we travel to the United States for the Premier League Summer Series."
Pedro, who was labelled by Brighton head coach Roberto De Zerbi as a "great player" last week prior to the announcement, is not expected to feature for Watford when they welcome Stoke City to Vicarage Road in the Championship on Monday.
Brighton are also understood to be closing in on the signing of Liverpool midfielder James Milner on a free transfer, with a recent report claiming that the deal is "all but done" for the 37-year-old to join the Seagulls when his contract at Anfield expires at the end of the season.
De Zerbi's side currently sit sixth in the Premier League table, following Thursday's dramatic 1-0 win over Manchester United, and four points behind fifth-placed Liverpool with two games in hand.
Oliver Thomas
