Barcelona make contact with Premier League attacker's agent, 22-year-old stands out as a 'killer': Reports

Barcelona have reportedly contacted Brighton & Hove Albion forward Joao Pedro's entourage ahead of a potential move in the summer.

Pedro, 22, has turned a lot of heads with his brilliant start to his career at the Amex Stadium this campaign. Since joining Brighton for close to £30 million from Watford past July, he has found the back of the net 19 times and provided two assists in 32 overall appearances.

Now, according to reputed journalist Gerard Romero, Barcelona have identified the Fluminense youth product as a potential summer target. They are aiming to rope in the Brazilian as their top brass have been unimpressed with Joao Felix and Ferran Torres' recent outings.

Moreover, Barcelona are hoping to snap up Pedro as he is a cheaper alternative to Rafael Leao and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia as a left flank option. They allegedly deem the star as a 'killer' due to his latest displays.

As per Spanish outlet Jijantes FC, Xavi Hernandez's side have established contact with Pedro's agent in the recent past. They are keen to convince the player's camp to join the La Liga giants as soon as possible.

Pedro, whose current contract is set to expire in June 2028, could pop up as a fine signing for the Blaugrana should a deal materialize. He could start on the left wing and offer competition to Robert Lewandowski.

Prior to joining Brighton in 2023, Pedro spent three-and-a-half seasons at Watford. He scored 24 goals and recorded nine assists in 109 outings across competitions, including 80 starts, for the Championship club.

Deco rules out exit of two Barcelona stars

Earlier last week, Barcelona sporting director Deco was asked to opine on Frenkie de Jong and Ronald Araujo's respective futures at the club. He replied to Movistar (h/t 90min):

"Nothing will happen. They have a contract and we want to keep the best. And they are the best. They are footballers of the present and the future. They are players who have earned the right to be at Barça and they have earned the respect of the fans and the club. We want to continue counting on them."

De Jong, who was reportedly close to joining Manchester United in the summer of 2022, has a deal until June 2026 at his club. The 26-year-old has helped them win three trophies, making 209 appearances.

Araujo, on the other hand, also has a contract until June 2026 at the Catalan outfit. The 24-year-old, who is thought to be a Bayern Munich target, has represented the Blaugrana 141 times across all competitions.