A £25 million deal between Watford and Newcastle United for Joao Pedro was ‘100 per cent’ agreed before the Brazilian’s return to the Premier League collapsed, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano tells The Chronicle.
If you stuck a fiver on Joao Pedro and Ismaila Sarr both being Watford players when September 2nd arrived, well enjoy your winnings. After all, you’d have got pretty lengthy odds.
Not even the most optimistic of Vicarage Road matchgoers would have imagined, when Pedro was on the verge of joining Newcastle in the final weeks of the window, that the stylish Brazilian would be putting pen to paper on a new, long-term contract until the summer of 2028 later down the line.
Now, whether Joao Pedro stays at Watford for another five years remains to be seen. It certainly seems unlikely, presuming the 21-year-old maintains his current rate of progress.
But while the Hertfordshire Hornets have hardly taken the Championship by storm thus far, the fact that they are still among the promotion favourites despite a run of just three wins in ten games is a reflection of the game-changing attacking talent Rob Edwards has at his disposal.
Newcastle United miss out on Watford forward Joao Pedro
“From what I know, the Joao Pedro deal between Newcastle and Watford was 100 per cent agreed. There was a verbal agreement and everything was fine,” explains Romano.
“Joao Pedro was already planning for a medical. Everything was ready, they had an agreement for £25 million, plus £5m in add-ons. There was also an agreement on the sell-on clause.”
Newcastle, he adds, opted to go all-out for Alexander Isak – their number one attacking target – after learning that the Pedro deal would be far tougher than initially expected. The Sweden international eventually arrived for a club-record fee of £60 million.
“Newcastle decided to go for their priority target and to keep the Joao Pedro situation open for two or three days. So they were still discussing with the agents and with Watford,” Romano says. “But at the end, they decided on Isak and the deal collapsed.
“Newcastle really wanted Joao Pedro. And I’m sure there will be many other clubs now joining the race.”
Newcastle signed Alexander Isak instead
Pedro, who is also on Everton’s radar, has two goals and two assists this season. Isak, meanwhile, has found the net just once from open play, with the Magpies yet to really integrate the former Real Sociedad speedster into their tactical set-up.
“We need to find his strengths,” says Newcastle team-mate Kieran Trippier.
“We know what they are, and everyone’s seen since he’s arrived what he’s all about. I played against him in La Liga, so I know. He plays off the shoulder, he’s quick and he’s good in the air. He’s an all-round complete striker, at such a young age.
“He’ll keep growing and scoring goals for us. But it’s about not just relying on him. For the last two games, we created so many opportunities, but need to start putting them away.”
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