Is Joao Pedro ready to break Chelsea's so-called number nine curse?

What the report says

Chelsea forward Joao Pedro marked the start of his first season wearing the club’s number nine shirt by scoring after just 31 seconds in a 3-2 Premier League win over Fulham at Craven Cottage. BBC Sport Football reported that the goal came shortly after he was given the shirt and a contract extension running to 2034, as he looks to settle into a role that has been associated with underperformance at Stamford Bridge.

The article said some Chelsea supporters have long talked about a “number nine curse,” pointing to a string of high-profile strikers who struggled in the shirt, including Romelu Lukaku, Alvaro Morata, Gonzalo Higuain, Radamel Falcao and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. By contrast, Joao Pedro arrived with strong recent form: he scored 20 goals in all competitions last season, the first Chelsea striker to reach that total since Diego Costa.

BBC Sport also set out the 24-year-old Brazilian’s background, describing his rise from Fluminense’s academy to Watford and then Brighton before his move to Chelsea in a deal worth about £55m plus possible add-ons. The piece said his family and coaches played an important role in his development, including physical training that helped him adapt to the Premier League. The goal and contract renewal matter because Chelsea see him as a key attacking player and one of the figures who could help shape a more stable squad under their new manager.