Chelsea: Pedro has done more than enough to cement his legacy as a Blue

Pedro became the Premier League’s most decorated player while at Chelsea, and added some of the few missing trophies to his collection. If his time at Stamford Bridge is over, he did more than enough.

In August 2015, Chelsea signed Pedro Rodriguez from Barcelona, beating Manchester City and Manchester United to the Spaniard’s signature. Chelsea is a club known for last minute transfer decisions, and this was another case of Chelsea swooping in late: August 20. Pedro was the most expensive signing of that window, and by far the most successful: it was, in fact, the window that featured Baba Rahman and Papy Djilobodji arriving at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea signed Pedro to a four year deal which ended his long association with Barcelona, where he started playing as a teenager. In Barcelona, Pedro achieved everything and ended up winning every major trophy in Europe. He was also part of the Spanish team that won the European Championship and the World Cup. At Chelsea, he was expected to maintain his image of a serial winner by helping the Blues to trophies.

Through his five seasons at the club, Pedro mustered a total of three major trophies: one Premier League, one FA Cup, and a Europa League.

Did Pedro fail to reach his standard at Chelsea? Or did Chelsea prove to be a disappointing club for a star like Pedro?

To consider these questions, we should understand the context of Pedro’s Chelsea career.

In his first season at Chelsea, Pedro started well by enthralling Chelsea fans with a goal and an assist in a 3-2 win against West Bromwich Albion. However, as the season progressed, things went downhill for the Blues and Pedro. Chelsea finished 10th place in a season that saw three managers in the touchline at Stamford Bridge.

The 2015/16 season was a disaster, in general, but Pedro still managed a decent return of eight goals and three assists from the season.

The next season saw the vintage Pedro, as the Spaniard put in some brilliant performances. He was competing with Willian for the right-winger spot under Antonio Conte and even featured as an attacking midfielder on occasions. He went on to score 13 goals and assisted 12 in what proved to be his best season for Chelsea. His fantastic leveler at Stamford Bridge against Tottenham will always be remembered by Chelsea fans.

It would truly be an understatement to say that Pedro was one of the most important players that season and was instrumental in Chelsea’s commanding Premier League triumph, something often forgotten by Premier League fans.

The next season was another disaster, as Conte fell out with key players and the board. Then under Maurizio Sarri and Frank Lampard, Pedro became a squad player and featured irregularly.

So, to our questions: did Pedro underperform, or did Chelsea prove to be a barrier for a serial winner like Pedro?

Pedro never really became the focal point of Chelsea’s attack and had too many inconsistent patches. In the past three seasons, there were several moments when it looked like Pedro’s time at Chelsea was over. However, every time, Pedro would produce a match-winning performance and win his place back in the starting line-up. The bottom line is that Pedro and the Blues went through some tough times together and managed to pull themselves back each and every time.

Pedro has had his fair share of disappointments at Stamford Bridge. However, his performances and his attitude have been extremely professional. Despite being in and out of the side for the past two seasons, Pedro has never complained publicly. Rather, he has always worked harder with a smile. He has been the ultimate team player and has been a positive leader in the dressing room guiding the likes of Billy Gilmour and Mason Mount.

Pedro Eliezer Rodríguez Ledesma gave Chelsea five seasons of commitment and utter dedication. As Pedro’s ship prepares for departure, he will be remembered for his professionalism that pulled the club through some difficult times, and his smile that will be etched into the hearts of the Blues.