LONDON – In a move that cements his long-term future at one of England’s most iconic Premier League clubs, Brazilian striker Joao Pedro has agreed to an upgraded contract extension with Chelsea that will keep him at Stamford Bridge until 2034, the club announced Saturday. The forward has also inherited the Blues’ famed – and notoriously cursed – No. 9 shirt, a jersey that has foiled 13 consecutive attackers since the position was last successfully filled in the early 2000s.
Pedro originally joined Chelsea from Brighton & Hove Albion just one year ago, on an initial deal that was scheduled to run through 2032 with an optional extra year. The new extension not only adds two additional years to his commitment but also brings improved financial terms, a reward for his standout debut season with the West London side, where he notched 20 goals across all competitions in his first campaign.
Speaking on the new deal, Pedro expressed his commitment to the club’s ambitions, saying: “I always dreamed of playing for a big club, and it means a lot to me to give my long-term commitment to this club. Chelsea has a long tradition of winning and it has big ambitions for the future.”
The 24-year-old’s strong form last season came despite a high-profile snub this summer, when he was left out of Brazil’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup – a decision that surprised many football analysts given his consistent goalscoring output.
Pedro is poised to lead the line as first-choice striker for newly appointed manager Xabi Alonso when Chelsea kicks off its new Premier League campaign away at Fulham on Monday. To clear space for Pedro in the first team, fellow forwards Liam Delap and Nicolas Jackson have been placed on the transfer market, while recent July signing Danny Welbeck, also lured from Brighton, is in contention for a spot in the matchday squad.
The No. 9 jersey Pedro now wears was vacated by Delap when the latter was put up for transfer. The shirt has gained a reputation for being jinxed over the past two decades: since Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink delivered prolific, title-winning performances in the number back in the early 2000s, 13 subsequent wearers have failed to make a sustained positive impact in the role.
The curse even carries the name of one of its most famous victims: Dutch defender Khalid Boulahrouz, who was infamously given the No. 9 shirt despite being a natural center back. Other high-profile flops include former club-record signing Fernando Torres, one of three record-breaking attacking recruits to struggle in the shirt. The “curse of Khalid Boulahrouz” remains a widely discussed quirk of Chelsea’s modern history, one that Pedro will now look to break.