Joao Pedro has scored seven goals in five pre-season friendlies, and Chelsea have backed that burst by giving him the No.9 shirt for the 2026-27 season. The first league game is away to Fulham on 24 August at 8pm, and the opening clue about who starts up front is already there.
Pedro's pre-season scoring run
The numbers are hard to ignore. Pedro scored a hat-trick against Western Sydney and added two against Juventus, which is the sort of return that makes a manager’s selection problem feel a lot less theoretical.
He also finished last term with 20 goals and nine assists across all competitions, so this is not a player hanging everything on a hot August. Michael Owen summed up that standing on goal.com: "I'm a huge Pedro fan, I think he's unbelievable. In fact, Manchester United should have bought him about four years ago when he was at Watford."
Owen also said: "I think Chelsea could have a big season." That is a bigger-picture view, but the immediate one is simpler. Pedro has the shirt, the goals and the early form that make him the natural centre-forward option for the trip to Fulham.
Chelsea's No.9 reset
The shirt change matters because it tells you how Chelsea are sorting the attacking pecking order. Liam Delap has moved to No.12, while Pedro takes the No.9 role that usually sits on the shoulders of the main striker.
That fits the way Chelsea are treating him after a strong first campaign and a sharp pre-season. Manchester United were the club Owen used as a reference point, but Chelsea’s own decision is the more relevant one now. Pedro has done enough on the pitch to make the No.9 shirt feel like a statement rather than just a number.
The opener at Fulham will show whether that choice holds when the points start counting. For now, Chelsea have put Pedro at the front of the queue, and the goals he has already scored make that decision look well judged.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →
