Pedro agrees to join Roma and puts Chelsea involvement in doubt
Pedro has agreed to join Roma on a free transfer and must decide whether to sign a short-term extension to stay at Chelsea until the end of the season.
Chelsea have until next Tuesday to negotiate a short-term deal with the Spanish winger, whose contract is due to expire on 30 June. Pedro has finalised terms on a two-year deal, with an option for another year, with Roma and is believed to have concerns about jeopardising the move by picking up an injury while playing for his current employers, complicating Frank Lampard’s plans for the Premier League restart.
Chelsea have been working to ensure that Pedro and Willian do not leave before the end of the delayed season and have received little clarity from the veteran wingers about their plans.
Premier League clubs have been given until 23 June to reach temporary agreements with players whose contracts are due to run out at the end of the month. Pedro, who would not be able to play for Roma until next season, must decide whether to help Chelsea qualify for the Champions League and maintain their progress in the FA Cup. As it stands Chelsea will have Pedro and Willian available for the trip to Aston Villa on Sunday, next Thursday’s home game against Manchester City and the FA Cup quarter-final against Leicester City on 28 June.
However the possibility remains that the duo will exit Stamford Bridge before the trip to West Ham on 1 July. Chelsea, who are fourth, would still have seven league games left.
The hope remains that Pedro and Willian, who has been unable to agree a new long-term deal with Chelsea, will stay. Pedro has been out in the cold for much of the season but the former Barcelona player came back into the side before the coronavirus pandemic brought the season to a halt.
Chelsea, who are close to completing a deal for the RB Leipzig forward Timo Werner, have been ready to part ways with Pedro this summer. Yet while the 32 year old is set to move to Roma, Lampard does not want to lose him prematurely.