New Chelsea star Joao Pedro names best teammate amid £60M move

New Chelsea signing Joao Pedro has surprised many by naming James Milner as the best player he has played alongside. The Brazil international joined the Blues recently in a £60 million deal from Brighton and Hove Albion. After the deal was complete, Chelsea took to social media to raise awareness of the signing, posting content featuring Brazil. One of their social media posts included a quick question-and-answer session where Pedro answered questions of interest to football fans. 

When asked about who his favourite Chelsea player was, he said Frank Lampard, while his football idol growing up was Neyma. He feels that the best player he played against was Cristiano Ronaldo. These were all expected answers. He surprised many when asked about his favourite team-mate as he said “James Milner”. 

Pedro and Milner were teammates at Brighton for two years as both joined the club in 2023. Despite being 38-years-old, Milner has been praised for his longevity at the highest level. He started his professional career in 2002 with Leeds United and recently signed a one year contract extension with Brighton which means that his professional career will extend to at least 24 years. 

During his decorated career, Milner notably had spells with Manchester City and Liverpool, helping the Cityzens win the Premier League twice and Liverpool once. He also helped the Reds to win the Champions League in 2019. Chelsea will certainly be hoping that Pedro brings the same strong work ethic to their side next season as Milner has consistently shown throughout his career. The Blues are back in the Champions League next season after a few years of inconsistency and struggle following the acquisition of the club by Clearlake Capital from Roman Abramovich. 

They have not won the Premier League since 2017 and will be hoping that with Pedro now in the side, they can re-establish themselves as a giant in European and English football. Pedro will also hope to be part of the Brazil team that plays in the World Cup next summer. While the South American nation has struggled in international football over the past several years, there is hope that a turnaround can take place under new coach Carlo Ancelotti.