Ex striker, Glenn Murray has revealed that he urged Brighton & Hove Albion to sign “special” Joao Pedro in Autumn 2020.
Murray spent the first half of 2020-21 season on loan from Brighton at Watford with Pedro who scored six goals across Murray’s time at the club, yet the Brazilian has only just signed for Brighton following the opening of this summer’s transfer window for domestic signings.
“I was that impressed that within a week I had called Brighton and said ‘you need to buy this kid!’,” recalled Murray on his first impressions of Pedro who he believed “made the game look easy.”
Murray proceeded to add why he belived Brighton should of signed Pedro sooner as he said: “I said to Albion you need to get this kid because he’s special.”
Murray even compared Pedro to ex Brighton defender, Ben White as he continued: “I’ll never forget when Ben White stepped up to the first team with us at Brighton and everyone was thinking ‘he’s really good’.
“You can have a lot of kids step in and they don’t necessarily catch your eye, but there’s one every now and then where they step up and you know they’re decent. Joao was that player, it felt like a strong squad at the time but Joao stood out on all levels.”
On what fans can expect from Pedro this season, Murray iterated that the 21 year-old “is very bubbly,” and “always smiling,” with a “really nice, happy” attitude to his football and isn’t afraid to be “laughing and having a bit of banter.”
Murray however warned that despite Pedro having a funny side to his personality, he can’t be underestimated as the 39 year-old added: “There is that jokey side to him, but once he crosses the white line there’s a steeliness to him. He’s built, he’s athletic.”
Brighton’s former striker even expects Pedro to settle quickly with the “help” of fellow South-Americans; Pervis Estupninan, Jeremy Sarmiento, Moises Caicedo, Facundo Buonanotte and Julio Encisio who play for Ecuador, Argentina and Paraguay respectively.
Murray knows about playing aboard from his time at Wilmington Hammerheads in North Carolina, USA, so spoke from experience about what it is like being able “to gravitate towards your own countrymen because you’ve got that in common.”
Murray however feels that Pedro throughout his time at Watford has “already adapted to the lifestyle, culture and weather.”
He therefore sees “positive things” for Pedro as Brighton prepares for their first season in Europe – having qualified for the Europa League with a sixth-placed Premier League finish last season.
Murray even predicted that he, Buonanotte and Enciso will be three players to watch this season, as he said: “Him, Facundo Buonanotte and Julio Enciso, three South American youngsters loving life in the Premier League will be something special to watch.”
The ex Crystal Palace forward also feels that Pedro will benefit from Roberto De Zerbi’s management, as he concluded: “He will benefit from the structure at Brighton, he will have a clear understanding of what Roberto expects from him and Roberto will give him a clear path as to how to bring his ability to the fore.
“We’ve got a system and a style that the club maintains regardless of who is in charge.
“I’ve seen Joao in Championship games where he was nearly given a free role because he was that good. But I think we will see a much better player than we have seen before because he will have that structure.”