Joao Pedro aiming to be new Brighton penalty taker

Joao Pedro wants to be Brighton's new penalty taker after Alexis Mac Allister's June move to Liverpool.

The Brazilian forward, signed from Watford this summer for a club record fee of just under £30million, scored from the spot for the second time during pre-season in Sunday's 1-1 draw against Rayo Vallecano at the Amex Stadium.

"Watford trusted me to take penalties, so I'm ready to take them here," Joao Pedro said.

Head coach Roberto De Zerbi added: "He can be (the penalty taker), but Pascal Gross can take penalties, the same (Danny) Welbeck. It's not a problem.

"We were lucky last year, because with Alexis, I was comfortable before the penalties."

Mac Allister scored with all six penalties he took in the Premier League last season, but Brighton were knocked out of both domestic knockout competitions on spot-kicks.

They lost shoot-outs against Manchester United in the semi-finals of the FA Cup and against League One side Charlton in the last 16 of the Carabao Cup.

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