“It doesn’t make sense for Brazil to try to compete with European clubs in terms of finances,” Fluminense coach Renato Gaúcho said through a translator. “Brazilian clubs trade players and sell them to Europe so they can survive, and that’s been true even since I was a player.”

João Pedro showed why he might be just the player Chelsea needed, sending the Blues to the Club World Cup final by scoring both goals in a 2-0 win over Fluminense.

The 23-year-old Brazilian international moved to Rio de Janeiro to join the Fluminense youth academy at the age of 10, before moving to England (Watford, Brighton and now Chelsea) shortly after his 18th birthday in 2019.