Signed from Brighton and Hove Albion at the start of July, the Brazil international made a telling and decisive impact at the Club World Cup. He struck twice on his first start to help the Blues dispatch Fluminense and then netted in the final against Paris Saint-Germain to ensure we were crowned world champions.

A short summer break followed before the 23-year-old returned for pre-season training last Monday. It's worth remembering that the forward had not even visited our training base in Cobham until that point.

Yet everything has been taken in his stride. Joao Pedro's maiden outing at Stamford Bridge came on Friday evening against Bayer Leverkusen, and he was on the scoresheet once more. A first start in SW6 was afforded against AC Milan yesterday, and again he found the net.

‘I’m very happy to score here at Stamford Bridge,' Joao Pedro said after we rounded off our short but impressive pre-season campaign with a 4-1 victory over the Italian giants.

'I have enjoyed this pre-season: two games, two goals. Now we have to rest, keep on working hard, and then start well in the Premier League.’

It's not only on the pitch that the Brazilian appears at ease. He has built friendships with several players in the squad and says that has made it 'easy to come in and show my best'.

The camaraderie that exists between Joao Pedro and his team-mates was emphasised following Liam Delap's second goal of the game against Milan, as our new No.20 raised his arms to applaud his fellow forward from the dugout.

'It’s very good for Chelsea if we are both at a good level,' Joao Pedro explained when asked whether the two can spur each other on during the campaign.

'In the last game, he didn’t score but today he scored two goals, and I am very happy for him.’