Chelsea won’t even accept world-record bid for key player amid exit rumours

Chelsea will not even accept a world-record bid for Joao Pedro this summer, talkSPORT understands.

The Brazilian forward has been linked with a blockbuster move to Barcelona but is understood to be happy at Chelsea.

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Pedro joined the Blues from Brighton last summer and has made a strong start having scored 15 Premier League goals in a season that’s proved to be very difficult for Chelsea.

They finished tenth in the Premier League and failed to win a trophy, while a number of key players including Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernandez and Marc Cucurella are linked with moves away this summer.

Chelsea aren’t prepared to let Pedro leave and it seems that not even an offer that would surpass the £198million Paris Saint-Germain paid Barcelona to sign Neymar in 2017 would change their mind.

Joao about that

Despite the heartache of failing to make it into Brazil’s World Cup squad, Pedro is seemingly attracting admirers away from Stamford Bridge.

But his 15 goals and eight assists, all of them in the Premier League, have been a positive in what has been a season to forget for the west London side.

Their lowly Premier League finish and lack of silverware means Chelsea will not get European football of any kind next season.

However, Chelsea fans will be encouraged by the arrival of Xabi Alonso, who has signed a four-year deal to become new manager this summer.

Summer of change

As well as a new manager, there could be huge changes in the playing squad at Chelsea.

A number of key players in the ranks have been heavily linked with moves away, including Palmer with the player rumoured to be unsettled amid the team’s dwindling form.

The 24-year-old is contracted at Chelsea until 2033 but talkSPORT understands a return to former club Manchester City is a possibility for him.

But like with Pedro, Chelsea have no plans to sell Palmer this summer.

Other players who perhaps stand a better chance of getting a move away are Fernandez and Cucurella, who have been linked with Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively.

Fernandez near-enough issued a come and get me plea to Los Blancos during the March international break, words that led to him being banned for two Chelsea matches.

“I really like Madrid, it’s similar to Buenos Aires,” the Argentina international said in an interview when asked if he could live in another country.

When pressed on whether or not he could call Madrid home, the 25-year-old replied: “Yes, of course.”

During the same international break, Cucurella suggested he’d be open to a return to Barcelona, where he began his career.

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“Spain is always Spain. It is where I grew up and you always think about going back,” Cucurella said.

“But I would [prefer to] leave it for a few years down the line. I am very happy here and it is a great life experience.”

Pushed specifically on a return to Barcelona, Cucurella added: “It is clear if that situation [Barcelona making an offer] did arise, it is hard to turn down, but I would have to consider it in the end.

“It is not just me, I also have to think about my family and together we would have to decide what’s best for us.

“As I have said before, right now I am not thinking about that. If it comes, it will come, and we will see what decision is made.”