Fortunebets
Spanish striker Pedro has played his last league game for Chelsea, manager Frank Lampard has confirmed.
The forward, who will be 33 on Tuesday, came on for the final few minutes of Sunday’s 2-0 Premier League win over Wolves.
Pedro, signed from Barcelona for £21m in 2014, helped Chelsea secure the Premier League title in 2016-17 and also won the FA Cup and Europa League.
Reports suggest that he is set to join Serie A club Roma on a free transfer.
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard will have two of his senior attackers available for the Premier League run-in after Willian and Pedro agreed to short-term extensions on their current deals until the end of the season.
Both players were due to leave the club on 30 June after the expiration of their previous deals, but have opted to stay at Stamford Bridge until the climax of the Premier League season, which has been extended into the summer.
Willian, 31, has been one of the key senior players for Chelsea this season, starting 22 league matches for Lampard, but had been unable to agree terms on an extended contract beyond this summer, with the Brazilian allegedly keen for a longer deal than was on the table.
World Cup winner Pedro has only started eight league matches, and had already negotiated a move to Roma when his contract with Chelsea expires. However, that transfer will happen after the domestic seasons in England and Italy finish.
Willian has been a mainstay in Chelsea’s squad since making a big money move from Anzhi in 2013, winning the Premier League twice, the FA Cup, and also the Europa League in 2019.
Pedro has won all those accolades also, but win just the one Premier League title.
Even before the summer transfer window opens, the Blues have been busy in the transfer market and have already completed the signings of Hakim Ziyech from Ajax and Timo Werner from RB Leipzig, as Lampard adds yet more talented youth to his squad.