Deco, Barcelona's sporting director, received a second heavy blow in less than 24 hours, after London club Chelsea announced that Brazilian striker Joao Pedro would not leave, refusing to listen to any offers during the current summer transfer window.

Sources from Stamford Bridge, according to Catalan newspaper "Sport", confirmed that the English club has high hopes for the Brazilian, considering him a key element in the new project under coach Xabi Alonso, thus definitively closing the door on Barcelona's ambitions.

This blow comes just hours after Miguel Ángel Gil Marín, CEO of Atlético Madrid, announced on Friday that Argentine striker Julián Álvarez is not for transfer, a blunt rejection of Barcelona's attempts to sign him.

Joao Pedro joined Chelsea in July 2025, after the English club paid €50 million to Brighton for his signing. Since then, his remarkable development has reinforced the London club's confidence that he is a striker capable of making a difference for many years to come.

Xabi Alonso has absolute faith in the Brazilian, considering him a complete striker thanks to his versatility, constant movement, and ability to adapt to various attacking positions—qualities that perfectly match the style of play Alonso wants to implement at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea's decision represents a new obstacle for Barcelona's sports management, which now sees its options to strengthen the attack shrinking alarmingly, especially after the removal of two prominent names from the top of the summer target list.

Deco will have to continue searching the market for alternatives that could become successful signings this summer, at a time when only a few names remain that could fit the plans of head coach Hansi Flick.

The situation at Camp Nou becomes more complicated after Barcelona's decision not to renew Polish striker Robert Lewandowski's contract, along with the possible departure of Spanish striker Ferran Torres to Paris Saint-Germain, in the final year of the Valencia forward's contract.

These developments place Deco before a real challenge to find urgent solutions for the attacking crisis, before the summer transfer window closes, at a time when the options available to the Catalan club are dwindling.