Updated: 17 May 2026 10:34 BST |
5 min read
Barcelona have suffered a blow in their pursuit of Joao Pedro after being told the striker will remain at Chelsea if new manager Xabi Alonso wants to keep him, according to reports in Spain.
The Blues have announced Alonso as their head coach on a four-year contract, with the Spaniard set to officially take over at Stamford Bridge on 1 July.
Widespread reports indicated Chelsea also considered Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola, Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner and Fulham’s Marco Silva in their search for a permanent successor to Liam Rosenior, who was sacked after just 106 days in charge in April.
However, Alonso – who was a free agent after being sacked by Real Madrid in January – has now been confirmed as Chelsea manager, with Barcelona already reportedly aware of his thoughts on star forward Pedro.
According to Spanish publication SPORT, Alonso has told the Chelsea hierarchy that he does not have any preconceived ideas regarding his new squad and wants to analyse each member first before making any final decisions on which players can be sold.
In the event that Spaniard Alonso wants to retain Pedro’s services, the same publication claims he will not be sold at any price this summer – a decision which would derail Barcelona’s plans to land a new striker.
The La Liga giants are searching for a replacement for outgoing forward Robert Lewandowski and had earmarked Pedro as a cheaper alternative to Atletico Madrid ace Julian Alvarez, according to The Athletic.
Pedro, who ESPN understands is valued at €100million (£87.2m), has established himself as one of the best young strikers in the world this season, scoring 20 goals in his maiden campaign at Chelsea.
A separate report from the Daily Mail claimed Barcelona sporting director Deco was expected to have attended Saturday’s FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium in order to run the rule over the Brazil international.
Lewandowski announces he will leave Barcelona next month
While it remains to be seen where Pedro’s future lies, Barcelona are in need of a new centre forward after Poland star Lewandowski confirmed he will leave the club when his contract expires at the end of the season.
In a post on social media, the 37-year-old – who has been linked with a move to either Major League Soccer (MLS) or the Saudi Pro League – wrote: “After four years full of challenges and hard work, it’s time to move on.
After four years full of challenges and hard work, it’s time to move on.
I leave with the feeling that the mission is complete. 4 seasons, 3 championships.
I will never forget the love I received from the fans from my very first days.
Catalonia is my place on earth.Thank you… pic.twitter.com/xrggN3Gisv
— Robert Lewandowski (@lewy_official) May 16, 2026
“I leave with the feeling that the mission is complete. Four seasons, three (La Liga) championships.
“I will never forget the love I received from the fans from my very first days. Catalonia is my place on earth. Thank you to everyone I met along the way during these beautiful four years. A special thank you to President Laporta for giving me the chance to live the most incredible chapter of my career. Barca is back where it belongs.”
Related stories:
Build The FIFA World Cup 2026™: LEGO© releases stunning football-inspired collection
Chelsea Transfer News Today: Joao Pedro offer as Xabi Alonso verdict drops
Transfer Rumours: Man Utd and Chelsea set to battle to sign breakout La Liga forward
The FootballTransfers app
Check out FootballTransfers’ new app for all of football’s big storylines, transfer rumours and exclusive news in one convenient place directly on your mobile device.
The FootballTransfers app is available on Google Play and in the Apple App Store. Download here:
•Google Play
•App Store
