Scouting Report: Should Liverpool be ’interested’ in Brighton’s Brazilian João Pedro?

Written on 24/12/2024

Certain reports have linked Liverpool with a potential move for Brighton and Hove Albion forward João Pedro. However, this does not seem like a move that would happen in the January transfer window. So, maybe we could see this story rumbling on after the end of this season?

Pedro was a youth product at Fluminense before making his senior debut there in 2019. Watford made a move for him in January 2020 and the player stayed there for three and a half seasons, which included their time in the Championship. He scored 24 goals and assisted eight in 109 appearances in all competitions (7529 minutes of football) for the Hornets.

Brighton signed the Brazil international before the start of the 2023/24 season, and he has been a good addition to their forward line since. He has already matched his Watford tally for goals scored in less than half of the minutes (3518) in all competitions so far for the Seagulls (with six assists to go with it).

In terms of where he likes to play in the forward line, it is difficult to nail down a position. Pedro is a versatile player who can play as a number nine, a support striker, in a front two or as a left winger. If we look at the numbers, the 23-year-old has played 104 games as a number nine - be it as a solo nine or in a front two. He has done 35 games on the left wing and 28 as a support striker or a number 10 (behind the number nine).

He has played in all those positions at every club, showcasing versatility as a key strength that adds value to his teams apart from key attributes.

Regarding the latter, Pedro likes to operate between the lines, predominantly in the centre-left region. He is adept at linking play with the midfield before making runs into the opposition box. He is also physically strong and not easy to shrug off the ball.

Below, we have some in-game screen grabs to explain some of his playing or movement patterns.

Pedro came on for the final 25 minutes against Manchester City as a support striker behind Danny Welbeck (the player asking for the ball in this picture). Here, the former Watford forward has dropped deep to become an extra man in midfield in the build-up play. However, the pass wasn’t made to him on this occasion. What did he do? The image below shows that.

The 23-year-old made the out-to-in run to drag City right-back Kyle Walker with him. What it did was allow the centre-back to drill a diagonal ball towards Kaoru Mitoma [22] who is unmarked.

Once Mitoma got the ball, Walker was out of position and Pedro made the run behind one of the City centre-backs. Eventually, the cross came in and the Brazilian scored from the rebound. This is the sort of movement he is very good at.