Michael Owen Names Chelsea Star as the Manchester United Signing He Wishes Had Happened

Michael Owen believes Manchester United missed a major opportunity by failing to sign João Pedro during the early stages of his career, with the former United striker now watching the Brazilian flourish at Chelsea.

Owen's comments come after Pedro enjoyed an outstanding first campaign at Stamford Bridge following his £60 million move from Brighton. The forward scored 20 goals in all competitions last season and quickly established himself as one of Chelsea's most important attacking players.

For Owen, the frustration is not that United failed to sign Pedro from Brighton. He believes the club could have moved for him much earlier.

Owen Wishes United Had Moved Earlier

Speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, Owen was emphatic about Pedro's quality.

The former England international said he is a “huge Pedro fan” and argued that United should have signed him around four years ago, when the forward was still at Watford.

That timing is significant.

Pedro had already shown flashes of his potential at Watford before eventually moving to Brighton, where his reputation grew considerably.

Chelsea then paid £60m to bring him to Stamford Bridge, turning him into one of the Premier League's most valuable young attacking players.

Owen's argument is therefore centred on United's recruitment rather than Chelsea's eventual investment.

He believes the signs were there long before Pedro became a £60m player.

The Front Three Owen Thinks United Could Have Had

Owen went further than simply praising Pedro.

He imagined a Manchester United attack featuring Pedro alongside Chelsea's Cole Palmer and Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers.

It is a hypothetical combination, but it highlights exactly what Owen sees in Pedro: a forward capable of operating in a fluid attacking unit rather than simply functioning as a traditional number nine.

That versatility has become one of Pedro's defining characteristics.

At Chelsea, he has demonstrated an ability to contribute goals while also linking attacks and finding dangerous positions around the penalty area.

For a United side that has spent several years searching for greater consistency in the final third, Owen clearly believes Pedro could have been an important piece.

Pedro Has Already Justified Chelsea's Investment

The £60m price tag looked significant when Chelsea brought Pedro in from Brighton.

His first season has, however, given the club plenty of encouragement.

Pedro scored 20 goals across all competitions and became a central figure in Chelsea's attack, starting ahead of fellow summer arrival Liam Delap during the campaign.

That production has also changed the conversation around his value.

Pedro is no longer simply a promising forward who might develop into a top player.

He has already demonstrated that he can deliver at a major Premier League club.

That is precisely why Owen's comments about United's earlier opportunity are likely to resonate with supporters.

Chelsea Now Have a Player United Cannot Easily Replace

Pedro's rapid rise has also made his position at Chelsea increasingly important.

The forward is now regarded as one of the club's key players, with reports indicating that Chelsea have resisted significant interest in him.

That means the opportunity Owen describes is firmly in the past.

United cannot simply correct the decision by trying to sign Pedro now.

Chelsea's investment has transformed him from an intriguing young talent into a major part of their plans.

Owen Also Sees a Big Chelsea Season Coming

Owen's praise for Pedro was part of a broader prediction about Chelsea's prospects under Xabi Alonso.

The former striker believes the Blues could surprise the Premier League this season, pointing to the absence of European football and Alonso's previous success at Bayer Leverkusen.

Chelsea finished 10th last season, but Owen believes the new manager can make a significant difference.

He also praised the club's recruitment and suggested the combination of a strong squad, Alonso's coaching and a less congested schedule could allow Chelsea to make a major jump.

Pedro could be at the centre of that challenge.

If he can reproduce his previous campaign, Chelsea will have one of the Premier League's most dangerous attacking players available to Alonso.