Barcelona target João Pedro as Deco pushes Chelsea striker move

Barcelona are stepping up plans to strengthen their attack this summer, and João Pedro has emerged as one of the leading names on their shortlist. The Chelsea forward is now being strongly considered by sporting director Deco, who reportedly sees the Brazilian as a profile capable of following the same development path that turned Raphinha into a major success at Camp Nou.

According to reports in Spain, João Pedro is now competing with Julián Álvarez to become Barcelona’s next long-term number nine.

That places the Chelsea forward firmly in focus.

Barcelona sporting director Deco has developed a clear recruitment preference for Premier League-proven players.

Players developed in England are often tested under higher physical demands, faster transitions and greater intensity — qualities Barcelona increasingly value as their squad continues evolving under Hansi Flick. João Pedro fits that profile naturally.

At 24, he combines Premier League experience with room for further growth, which appears to be a major part of Barcelona’s attraction.

According to Sport, Deco has made multiple trips to England in recent months to monitor targets, with João Pedro now among his highest-priority attacking options.

Internally, Barcelona are reportedly using the Raphinha comparison as a reference point.

Raphinha arrived from Leeds United with clear talent but room for refinement. Under Flick, his development accelerated significantly.

Barcelona believe João Pedro could follow a similar path.

The club reportedly view him as a player whose profile has not yet reached full global recognition — a factor that makes the opportunity especially attractive.

Based on recent Chelsea performances we’ve covered, João Pedro has shown flashes of versatility, creativity and finishing quality, even within a competitive attacking structure.

João Pedro is not the only striker under consideration.

Julián Álvarez remains firmly in Barcelona’s plans and offers a different profile — more proven at the highest level and tactically versatile across multiple attacking roles.

João Pedro may offer more developmental upside, while Álvarez brings immediate elite-level certainty. That choice could define Barcelona’s attacking strategy for years.

Barcelona are expected to continue evaluating striker options before making a final decision later in the summer window. João Pedro’s situation will depend heavily on Chelsea’s stance and whether Barcelona can create financial room for a major move.

The club’s striker shortlist could narrow quickly once transfer priorities become clearer.