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Xabi Alonso has said Joao Pedro belongs in the same class as Manchester City star Erling Haaland, with the Chelsea manager also comparing the forward to Karim Benzema.

Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso has made the striking claim that Joao Pedro deserves to be mentioned in the same bracket as Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland. The Brazilian attacker has made a flying start to the new season, prompting his manager to compare him with some of the finest centre-forwards the game has seen.

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A record-breaking beginning to the season

Recognition for Pedro’s progress was confirmed on Friday when he was named Player of the Month for August. It was a major moment for the striker, who saw off strong competition from his own Chelsea team-mate Cole Palmer to win the award. His impact this season has been central to Chelsea’s early surge. Across his first three matches, the forward delivered two goals and two assists, showing a clinical streak that had perhaps not been seen consistently in earlier years.

After recently committing his long-term future to the club by signing a deal that runs until 2034, there is a growing feeling that the Brazilian is a key pillar of the new project at Cobham. Alonso’s tactical setup, which asks for movement and top-class decision-making from the attacking line, seems ideally matched to Pedro’s broad skillset and physical strength.

Alonso places Chelsea forward in the world-class category

Alonso did not hold back when assessing Pedro, indicating that the Brazil international now belongs at the same table as Haaland. After his electric opening to the campaign, Alonso was asked whether his leading attacker could genuinely be compared with the Norwegian, who won last season’s Golden Boot with 27 goals.

“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,” Alonso said.

The Karim Benzema comparison and tactical versatility

Although Haaland is commonly seen as a specialist penalty-box finisher, Alonso feels Pedro brings a wider range of qualities, and he drew comparisons with his former Real Madrid team-mate and Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema. He pointed out that Pedro’s capacity to affect matches in different areas of the pitch — having played as a midfielder, a number 10 and a winger — makes him especially difficult for modern defences to handle.

“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 added. “So yes, he is still young, still things to develop, but many, many absolutely outstanding qualities that he has.”

Overcoming Brazil disappointment and looking ahead

In spite of his outstanding club form, Joao Pedro suffered a major disappointment this past summer when he was surprisingly left out of Brazil’s squad for the World Cup. However, the forward has channelled that frustration positively and earned a recall for the September international window against New Zealand and India. Alonso said he did not need to give his striker any extra push, because the motivation was already there within the player.

“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. We are now focused on what he is doing well and what he can do better,” the Chelsea manager said. “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.”