Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso has directed lavish praise towards Joao Pedro by comparing him with two of the world’s best strikers of past and present – putting him on a par with Erling Haaland, while asserting the Brazilian reminds him of Karim Benzema.
Joao Pedro has got the new season off to a flyer for the Blues and was named the Premier League’s player of the month for August on Friday, notching two goals and two assists in his first three games as part of a dynamite front three with Cole Palmer and £117m man Morgan Rogers.
Alonso, who took the reins at Stamford Bridge in the summer, has hailed the 24-year-old for his early impact and believes he is at the same level as Manchester City frontman Haaland, who won the golden boot last season with 27 goals.
Asked in a press conference whether he thought the Brazilian was in the same category as Haaland, Alonso replied: “I would say yes.
“If you count how many top strikers we have in the Premier League, I am sure that Joao is there. So I would rate him that way.
“He has been top. Not just football-wise, personality-wise. His maturity, his desire. He has a very strong goal this year: to have a great season, to score many goals, and to be a nominee for not just this month but more months.
“I am not surprised, but really happy with the kind of player that we have here with Joao.”
Alonso then drew similarities to another world-beater, comparing Joao Pedro to his former Real Madrid team-mate Karim Benzema.
Benzema scored 354 goals in 658 games during a 14-year stay at the Santiago Bernabeu, where he lifted four LaLiga titles and five Champions Leagues, while also winning the Ballon d’Or in 2022.
“In many things he reminds me of Benzema,” he added. “Because he is good in the box, he is good out of the box, he is good coming to the left side, he is good with the head.
“He is very complete and he is intelligent.
“He is still young. He still has things to develop. But he has many, many absolutely outstanding qualities.”