'Would be perfect' - Former Brighton star tells Albion forward to join Arsenal
Joao Pedro has been described as being on the ‘top shelf’ of footballers and told to join Arsenal this summer.
Colin Kâzım-Richards – who played for Brighton in the 2005/06 season – believes that Brazilian forward Joao Pedro has the ability to be playing for a Premier League club that can challenge for the title.
Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Newcastle and Manchester United have all been linked with the striker, who scored ten goals and registered seven assists this term.
He joined Brighton from Watford in June 2023 for a then club record fee of just under £30m.
It was reported by The Athletic that Joao Pedro had an ‘altercation’ in training with Dutch defender Jan Paul van Hecke, which led to the former being left out of the matchday squad against Liverpool and Tottenham.
Kâzım told betideas.com: “Do you know who I like a lot? I know Brighton didn't develop him – they paid a lot of money to sign him from Watford, who did a great job with his development after he arrived from Brazil, and that is Joao Pedro.
“I know there are a lot of reports about clubs looking at him. I was reading about an incident on the training ground that may hasten an exit for him from the club, but for me, this is a guy that has the ability to be playing for a team that is competing for the title.
“Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal have been linked with him. I think he’s an outstanding prospect. I’ve watched him a few times live, once this season at Arsenal. He stood out for me.
"He’s the type of player that I think would fit into Arsenal really well and I think he would give them something different to what they already have. He's good. He's top shelf.”
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “Understand João Pedro can leave Brighton in the summer as he’s open to new chapter of his career.
“Premier League top clubs aware of the opportunity for potential transfer fee around €70m, but final decision up to Brighton.
“One to watch this summer.”
Kâzım had a spell at Brighton at the beginning of a nomadic career that saw him represent 19 clubs, including Turkish giants Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe, as well as Celtic and Corinthians.
The former footballer also sang the praises of Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh and claimed he is a star in the making. The former Newcastle forward scored six goals and grabbed four assists in 32 Premier League appearances – but revealed after the Spurs game that he did not reach his personal target.
Brighton’s business model is to sell their best players for a huge profit and Kâzım was asked who the next big money exit could be.
He responded: “Well, I don’t want to say that he will be the next player to leave the club, but in terms of his development and potential, I really like Yankuba Minteh.
"They got him out of Newcastle in the summer after a brilliant season with Feyenoord. I’ve been impressed by his performances this season, his consistency for a 20 year-old tells me he’s got huge potential.
“If I had to sign someone from Brighton this summer, he's a player that I would be looking at. I like him a lot. When I watch them play, he always affects the game, which is obviously what you want to do as a player. You want to affect the game.”