Pedro is Brighton’s top scorer this season (Picture: Getty)
Brighton striker Joao Pedro could be ruled out until the end of March following a worrying update from his national team boss.
The 22-year-old striker has missed Brighton’s last two games. After scoring his 19th goal of the season in the 4-1 victory over Crystal Palace at the beginning of January, he picked up a hamstring injury that ruled him out of the 2-1 defeat to Tottenham and last Sunday’s 5-0 thrashing of Sheffield United.
Brighton boss Robert de Zerbi has been unable to offer a timescale on Pedro’s return to action.
Brazil are in friendly action against England and Spain in March with new head coach Dorival Junior discussing some selection options with TNT Sports Brazil this week.
With Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker and Wolves striker Matheus Cunha also sidelined, he revealed there is ‘no possibility’ of Pedro being involved in those games.
‘In terms of possible call-ups, all the names mentioned are important players and have some prominence in their teams. They would indeed be on a pre-list,’ Dorival Junior said.
‘In particular, some players who had slightly more serious injuries, such as Alisson, Matheus Cunha, Joao Pedro and even Neymar, are totally removed from any possibility at this moment.
Pedro might not be available until the end of March (Picture: Getty)
‘Not that we were already defined by the name of one or the other. In this extensive list we have, some of these would no longer allow us to be called up at this moment.’
That timeline could see Pedro miss five more games for the Seagulls.
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They are back in action against Everton on Saturday before heading to Wolves for an FA Cup fifth round clash on 28 February.
Brighton kick-off March away to Fulham before hosting Nottingham Forest on the 10th.
They then host Manchester City before the last international break of the season, returning to action away to Liverpool on 31 March.