Chelsea handed Joao Pedro contract boost ahead of difficult summer

Chelsea face a difficult summer ahead following their failure to qualify for Europe, but Joao Pedro is set for a base-salary increase that may help them keep hold of one of their star players. 

The Brazilian forward – a £60m signing from Brighton last summer – was a rare bright spark in an otherwise gloomy season, scoring 20 goals across all competitions and being shortlisted as one of the Premier League transfers of the season.

Chelsea operate a unique salary system tied to team performance and achievements. Base salaries are lower than at rival clubs, but bonuses for trophies and Champions League qualification can elevate earnings significantly. 

The flip side is that poor seasons result in a decrease. Chelsea finished 10th in the Premier League and their failure to make Europe will hit player bonuses earned last season. City AM understands the bonus structures vary by individual, meaning the drop will differ across the squad.

With the club remaining under Uefa restrictions after breaching spending rules, it makes this a particularly challenging period to navigate for new manager Xabi Alonso, who takes over in July.

Nonetheless, Joao Pedro is in line for a base-pay rise after a stellar debut year. His 15 league goals placed him joint-fifth in the Premier League goal-scoring chart, behind only Erling Haaland, Igor Thiago, Antoine Semenyo and Ollie Watkins. 

His 20 combined league goals and assists were six more than his closest team-mate, Enzo Fernandez. Barcelona’s interest in the forward has been widely reported, but the Brazilian is contracted to Chelsea until 2033.

Bournemouth get green light for £85m stadium expansion

Bournemouth’s plans to fully redevelop the Vitality Stadium’s main South Stand have finally been approved by council planners.

This column revealed last month that the south coast club had been forced to amend construction timelines after a BCP Council planning meeting was delayed while officials sought further information.

The club intend to avoid stadium closure during the expansion and had hoped to start work on the South Stand to increase stadium capacity by around 1,500 next season, when the club will compete in Europe for the first time after qualifying for the Uefa Europa League.

But, due to the delays, executives decided instead to carry out minor works on other corner infills, hospitality areas and the stadium perimeter during the off-season, adding only an extra 800 seats.

The full redevelopment – increasing capacity from 11,286 to around 20,200 – will cost around £85m and has now been approved. If all goes to schedule, the South Stand will be demolished next summer and replaced by a new 7,000-seater stand. 

Stadium Structures, which previously partnered with the club on hospitality upgrades, will oversee the work. The increase will mean Bournemouth will no longer have the smallest stadium in the Premier League, overtaking Brentford’s 17,250-capacity Gtech Community Stadium.

Thousands apply to be Tour de France ‘Joy Makers’

Within an hour of volunteer opportunities for next summer’s Tour de France Grand Depart being announced on BBC Breakfast, Britons rushed to sign up.

City AM has been told more than 1,000 people applied to become what organisers are calling “Joy Makers” when cycling’s flagship event begins in the UK. Next July, the men’s race will start in Edinburgh, while the women’s race commences in Leeds a month later.

When the Tour de France last visited the UK – back in 2014 when the Grand Depart was held in Yorkshire – more than 5m spectators turned up to watch. Organisers claim next year’s edition will be the largest free-to-attend sporting event ever staged in Britain.

Around 9,000 volunteers are being sought, and organisers believe the roles offer timely work experience opportunities at a major sporting event amid concerns about youth unemployment. Volunteer hopefuls must submit an application, followed by an interview in the autumn. 

Successful candidates will also undergo basic training in early 2027 followed by specific venue and role training in the spring.

Real Betis bring academy to… Sheffield

LaLiga continues to push to entice fans away from the Premier League, and its latest effort saw Real Betis bring their academy to Sheffield for the first time.

Youth coaches travelled from Seville to run a three-day training camp for nine-to-16-year-olds in the Steel City last week, part of a global expansion designed to export Betis’s distinctive playing philosophy. The project aims to both identify local talent and build the club’s profile among young supporters.

Held at Sheffield University’s facilities and overseen by coaches Santiago Gonzalez and Manuel Dominguez, the camp assessed 60 players on technical, tactical and physical attributes while introducing them to the methods used at Betis’s famed Cantera academy.

It was the club’s first UK camp and forms part of a wider international rollout. The club will also travel to Argentina, Italy, Poland, Sweden and the USA this summer. 

Real Betis, who finished fifth in LaLiga last season and qualified for the Champions League, already operate permanent youth bases teaching the Verdiblancos’ methodology across the globe, including in Mexico, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela.