After his super Chelsea debut, Manchester United could rue Pedro failure again and again

Have Chelsea, in Pedro, snapped up the summer's greatest signing from under the noses of Manchester United?

The Spaniard's dream debut against West Brom on Sunday was put in typical hyperbole-laden headline-grabbing context by new boss Jose Mourinho when he said post-match: “He wasn't quite Maradona but he was close.”

[LE BUZZ: Pedro given ovation by Barcelona players and media in goodbye press conference]

[QUOTES: Pedro: I left because I wanted to feel important again]

The Maradona line is not to be taken lightly, though Mourinho has used a similar one before. Ten years ago, he took to refer to Eidur Gudjohnsen as his “blonde Maradona” – a reference to his new withdrawn role as Chelsea's No. 10, after having been part of the Blues' greatest strike partnership of recent years.

He and the Argentinian share a mutual respect – each having what amounts to an unstated contract to namecheck the other as the very best, whenever possible. And Maradona is a relevant name to raise when assessing Pedro's Chelsea debut – for it is his then son-in-law, Sergio Aguero, who gave us the debut against which all are now measured.

His two goals for Manchester City against Swansea in August 2011, along with an assist, provided a faultless hour which still probably eclipses what we saw from Pedro. But the conditions of the Chelsea man's opening foray into the Premier League should not be understated.

Despite having played over an hour for Barcelona in Monday's Spanish Super Cup, and suffering the upheaval of a week where he didn't know which of three European cities he'd end up living in, the forward started at The Hawthorns.

That he was picked, while fellow new signing Baba Rahman was not, was typical Mourinho – pitch in a creative man who can work his own magic on the game, but don't risk someone yet to be drilled in the high-maintenance discipline of his defensive set-up.

He was also sent out in the torrential rain, at the Premier League's most elevated stadium, and was still able to demonstrate the precise close control, quick turning, man-beating, and precision passing that have been the reasons why two of the league's top managers have so hotly tailed him this summer.

That he looks special is not in doubt. The question of whether he adds something to Chelsea in the long run is trickier to decide.

Certainly, in the way things lined up on Sunday, he does bring something unique to the table. Chelsea have long needed a right-wing foil to the creative talents of Eden Hazard on the left. Ramires and Willian both offer something more workmanlike there but in Pedro, Mourinho has the explosive creativity and pace to unlock defences down both flanks.

His arrival also frees-up Willian to sit in the middle – saving Hazard's explosive pace for the wing, and giving something more consistent and team-focused than the increasingly flimsy-looking Oscar has managed in some time. Essentially, he is what Juan Cuadrado was supposed to be – and the Colombian is clearly on long-borrowed time at Chelsea.

For the Pedro-augmented system to work against far more ambitious, pacier opponents than West Brom, better is needed from the two men behind, of course. Cesc Fabregas may have set some form of record at The Hawthorns for profligacy while in possession, though there were a couple of moments where he did manage to combine with Diego Costa in the way that stunned so many early last campaign.

Nemanja Matic is presently Chelsea's biggest loss – and he was several times caught out during a Will-o'-the-wisp performance in which he was to blame for the Baggies' penalty.

One swan does not a summer make, and those immediately calling Pedro as a sure fire hit would do well to remember the first impressions created by Adrian Mutu when he arrived at Chelsea.

But it is certain that he will be a key man for Mourinho's Blues this season – and that Louis van Gaal and Manchester United may have more than one opportunity to rue losing out in the race for such an impressive talent.