Alonso's Arrival Means Chelsea Won't Budge on Pedro, Says Romano

Xabi Alonso's appointment as Chelsea head coach from July 1 has strengthened the club's resolve to keep hold of Joao Pedro, according to transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano, who believes only an audacious Barcelona bid could shift the Blues' stance.

The west London outfit endured a chaotic campaign marked by the departures of Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior, with Calum McFarlane stepping in as caretaker. Their misery was compounded on the final day when a 2-1 loss to Sunderland left them tenth in the table and outside European qualification.

With Alonso arriving to rebuild the project, Chelsea's hierarchy are determined to retain their best assets rather than weaken the squad. Pedro, who missed out on Brazil's World Cup selection, has attracted Barcelona's interest as the Catalan outfit hunt for attacking reinforcement.

Romano outlined the situation on his YouTube channel, explaining that Barcelona have been making behind-the-scenes approaches to Pedro's representatives to establish what figure might unlock a deal. However, he stressed that Chelsea's position remains virtually immovable.

"It's not about money—whether that's €90 million, €100 million, or €120 million," Romano explained. "Chelsea want to build around Alonso with elite players like Pedro and Cole Palmer. They've had a brutal season with three different managers, so letting him leave now would be madness."

The transfer window is in its infancy, Romano noted, and Pedro's absence from World Cup plans means negotiations could take unexpected turns. Nevertheless, Chelsea have constructed what he described as "a very high wall" around their Brazilian forward.

"If Barcelona are going to do something extraordinary, we'll hear about it," Romano concluded. "But right now, Chelsea have absolutely zero appetite for discussions."