Joao Pedro hands Nicolas Jackson immediate Chelsea transfer realisation with brutal message

Samba moves on Miami beach. Samba moves in the dressing room. Samba moves on the pitch. Joao Pedro has arrived as a Chelsea player.

Over two-and-a-half months since his last club match, the Brazilian took no time at all getting back into the flow. With one single 36-minute cameo (plus added time), many questions over Chelsea's latest transfer were initially answered.

There is much further to go for Pedro and he will need to back up neat link-up play with end product to justify the £55million outlay, but if this is just the start then Chelsea supporters can be excited. On Saturday morning in Philadelphia, Enzo Maresca wasted little time chucking the new signing in.

Liam Delap was selected to start the Club World Cup quarter-final against Palmeiras despite Nicolas Jackson being available again after suspension.Just before the hour mark, Delap's evening in America was over.

He had picked up a yellow card just before half-time which will see him miss the semi-final against Fluminense. Who Maresca opts to go with in New York is now not so clear.

There was already some debate around what Maresca would try for this game. Delap had scored against ES Tunis but struggled to get into the last-16 tie with Benfica. His on-ball play was lacking and several dangerous positions were wasted.

Whereas Delap also brings the hustle-and-bustle characteristics of Jackson, offering very little rest for defenders, he is not as adept at passing, working in tight spaces, or gelling with his teammates. The benefit to having them in the same squad is that Chelsea, for the first time in years, can ensure 90 minutes of energetic striker action.

Previously, it had been left to Jackson to do all the running and leading from the front. It has taken its toll on him mentally and physically. Performances have dipped. Now he has genuine support and competition for his place.

Pedro adds yet another dynamic. He is able to play off the left, behind the striker, or as a No.9 himself. With only a few training sessions under his belt, Maresca had seen enough to throw him in.

He had been on holiday last week before Chelsea accelerated their plans to sign him from Brighton. Pedro missed the last five games of the Seagulls' Premier League season, first through suspension and then disciplinary action. He had a bust-up with defender Jan Paul van Hecke and was left out of Fabian Hurzeler's final two matchday squads.

It set the wheels in motion for his transfer but leaves him undercooked heading into the Club World Cup. Or so that was what was expected.

"Yeah, Joao's situation is a bit strange or different because you know he was on holiday," Maresca said pre-game. "Even if he was working, but it's not the same when you work for yourself compared when you work with the team. But we are very happy with Joao.

"In the last two days he worked with us and we see if we need him tomorrow or we have chance to give him some minutes. We're gonna give him some minutes."

What Chelsea got from Pedro was impressive. His first action,coming on after Estevao Willian's brilliant equaliser, was a tenacious bit of defending to win the ball on the halfway line.

This tallies with Pedro as an active presser even though he was penalised by the referee for being over eager to get onto the loose ball following the tackle. Stationed up front, Pedro made good use of his frame to knockdown a long ball with his head.

He then balanced nicely in the box to control a flick on with his chest before laying it off to Levi Colwill, creating a chance. Pedro is a different type of striker to Delap and Jackson, opting to come short and to feet rather than run in behind, and that helped him to receive passes through the lines from Trevoh Chalobah and Colwill.

Taking a ball in-between two green shirts, he cut inside to open up a shot from distance on his right foot only to scuff it wide. Combining nicely with Noni Madueke, on for Christopher Nkunku in the same substitution window that Pedro was introduced through, Chelsea's new No.20 found space on the left of the box, getting the line for a cross after taking on three players.

Without too much match sharpness, Pedro found his deft touch quickly, laying a back heel off to Marc Cucurella for a blasted effort over the bar from the top of the area. He continued to 'collect garbage' with contested bouncing balls and 50-50s against the Palmeiras defence.

This is the sort of thing both Jackson and Delap also do well, but Pedro wasted no time in making a point to his new club that he is just as effective at making the most of these minutes. When in possession, Pedro dropped the ball at his feet, flicked it around corners, and expressed himself freely.

He allowed Madueke and Enzo Fernandez to run ahead as he came deeper to join in with the buildup, spraying passes whilst always causing chaos. A late, rangey dribble forward on the right saw Madueke put through on goal seconds later on the left but he was denied by a mixture of post and goalkeeper.

A neat use of the knee when exchanging passes with Fernandez saw Pedro generate a powerful shot which had to be well-saved in the dying moments. On another day he could easily have scored and assisted.

It was the sort of bright entrance to life as a Chelsea player that Pedro could have dreamed of. He played in a game against a team from his home country as Estevao got the spotlight. Alongside him was Andrey Santos, who Pedro admitted he had spoken to about joining Chelsea.

The South American feel continued with Fernandez further back on the field. Chelsea's new relationships off the field already seem to be growing quickly on it.

Pedro, who was announced on Wednesday via a promotion of shots and videos at the American coastline, was pictured juggling the ball with bare feet. The samba skills then showed themselves in Philadelphia and Chelsea will hope he can transfer it to New York for the semi-final, also against Brazilian opposition in Fluminense.

Although his attitude has been under the spotlight, that was not an issue for Chelsea as he celebrated in the dressing room with some dance moves. So far, the 23-year-old has only had a good impact.

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What his introduction over Jackson means moving forward remains to be seen, though. Jackson could be punished further for his red card with an extended spell on the bench. Pedro's debut makes that more likely than before,especially with Delap out.

Jackson's place at Chelsea, full stop, has also been doubted. They have signed one out-and-out striker and now another more than capable of playing there regularly in Pedro.

football.london understands that Jackson is seen as part of the plans at Stamford Bridge for next season but that has not stopped them from looking at other options regardless. Hugo Ekitike is a player they admire but his £84.5million valuation by Eintracht Frankfurt has stopped things from moving forward.

Was Pedro's selection here a hint that he might already be ahead of Jackson, therefore casting uncertainty over his Chelsea career this summer, or just a tactical ploy? Was it an opportunity to take a look at Pedro in (semi) competitive football or a reward for training so well this week?

"Yes, since he arrived, the reason why we decided for him is because since he arrived, even if he was on holiday, he looks sharp, he looks good," Maresca said afterwards. "And we gave him some minutes. Also, I think he was just inside when they scored.

"And I think since he was inside, him and Noni, I think, again, we were much better. So, we knew him very well. The reason why he's here is because we like him and we are sure that he's going to help us."

Just an option for Chelsea being explored by Maresca or more than that? It is impossible to tell right now but Jackson's place at Chelsea has never been under more pressure, scrutiny, or doubt.

In a squad fighting on multiple fronts with the Champions League, having depth and versatility will be crucial. However, this match in USA might mean more to Jackson and Pedro than would have initially been thought.