Xabi Alonso has likened Joao Pedro to Karim Benzema and said the Chelsea striker is on the same level as Erling Haaland. Joao Pedro was named the Premier League's player of the month for August on Friday after contributing two goals and two assists in his first three games of the season for the Blues. Alonso has been delighted by his impact and feels the 24-year-old, who scored 20 goals in 50 games for Chelsea last term, should be seen in the same category as his Manchester City counterpart.
"I would say yes," said Alonso when asked in his press conference if he sees him as being on the same level as Haaland. "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.
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 continued his praise of Joao Pedro by saying he sees similarities with his former Real Madrid team-mate Benzema, who scored 354 goals in 658 games for the Spanish side. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player "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 still has things to develop. But he has many, many absolutely outstanding qualities." Joao Pedro's form earned him a Brazil recall this week, having been left out of Carlo Ancelotti's squad for the World Cup.
"It was painful for him," added Alonso. And we are now talking about other things, like what he is doing well and what he can do better." Joao Pedro has formed part of a dangerous front three with Cole Palmer and £117m summer signing Morgan Rogers, both of whom have also starred under Alonso. The trio have six goals and four assists in three Premier League games between them and Joao Pedro feels their qualities complement each other perfectly.
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