Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has heaped praise on striker Joao Pedro, drawing comparisons to former Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema and suggesting the Brazilian belongs in the same conversation as Manchester City's Erling Haaland.
The 24-year-old forward has enjoyed a blistering start to the new campaign, scoring twice and setting up two more goals in his opening three matches. His form was rewarded on Friday when he was named the Premier League's Player of the Month, an honour he collects for the first time in his career, edging out teammate Cole Palmer, who had previously claimed the award for Chelsea in September 2024.
Asked directly whether Joao Pedro could be mentioned in the same breath as Haaland, the Norwegian striker who topped the Premier League scoring charts last season with 27 goals, Alonso did not hesitate to place his forward among the division's elite. "I would say yes. If you count how many top strikers we have in the Premier League, I'm sure that Joao [Pedro] is there, Haaland for sure is there. So I would rate him that way," the Chelsea boss said.
The endorsement comes shortly after Joao Pedro committed his long-term future to Stamford Bridge, signing a new deal that runs until 2034. He also began this season wearing the number nine shirt, a symbolic upgrade that underlines his growing importance to the squad. Since arriving at Chelsea last summer, he has racked up 25 goals and 11 assists in 57 appearances, becoming the club's first striker since Diego Costa to reach 20 goals in a single season during his debut campaign.
By comparison, Haaland has scored 42 goals and added nine assists in his last 57 matches for Manchester City, a statistic that highlights just how differently the two forwards operate. While Haaland is regarded as a pure goalscorer, Joao Pedro has shown far greater tactical flexibility throughout his career, featuring as a midfielder, a number 10 and a winger before settling into his current central role.
It is this versatility and technical polish that reminded Alonso of Benzema, alongside whom he played 195 times during his stint at Real Madrid. "In many things he reminds me of Benzema, because he is good in the box, he is good out of the box, he is good coming to his left side, he is good with the head, he is very complete, he is intelligent," Alonso said. "So yes, he is still young, still things to develop, but many, many absolutely outstanding qualities that he has." Benzema, now 38 and without a club after leaving Saudi side Al-Ittihad, scored 523 goals in 994 appearances across his career with France, Lyon, Real Madrid and clubs in Saudi Arabia.
Despite his impressive form, Joao Pedro was left out of Brazil's squad for this summer's World Cup, a decision made by manager Carlo Ancelotti, who himself once coached Alonso at Real Madrid. The forward has since been recalled to the national team for September's fixtures against New Zealand and India.
When asked whether the World Cup snub had fuelled his player's strong start to the season, Alonso suggested the motivation was already present. "He had enough motivation. He already had enough within him, so I didn't need to go there. It was painful for him, but that is in the past," Alonso said. "We are now focused on what he is doing well and what he can do better. He has been outstanding. Not just in football terms, but in his personality, his maturity and his desire. He has a very clear goal this season, which is to have a great campaign and score a lot of goals."
Based on reporting from BBC Sport Football.