In his pre-match press conference ahead of Chelsea's clash with Hull City, manager Xabi Alonso praised João Pedro's playing style, comparing him to Benzema and suggesting he can be mentioned in the same breath as Haaland.

João Pedro has made a stellar start to the season, contributing 2 goals and 2 assists in his first three matches, and was named Premier League Player of the Month on Friday for the first time. He extended his Chelsea contract last month through 2034 and took the number 9 shirt at the start of this season.

When asked whether João Pedro could be compared to Haaland, Alonso said: "I would say yes. If you look at the top strikers in the Premier League, João Pedro is certainly among them, and Haaland certainly is too. That's how I would describe him."

In his first season since joining Chelsea last summer, João Pedro became Chelsea's first striker since Diego Costa to score 20 goals in a season. So far, he has made 57 appearances for Chelsea, contributing 25 goals and 11 assists. Haaland has scored 42 goals and provided 9 assists in his last 57 appearances for Man City.

Unlike Haaland, who focuses primarily on goalscoring, João Pedro has also played as a midfielder, number 10, and winger during his career, giving him more well-rounded technical attributes. Alonso, who played alongside Benzema at Real Madrid in 195 matches, believes the two share certain similarities.

Alonso said: "In many ways, he reminds me of Benzema. He performs well both inside and outside the box, he can drift to the left wing, and he's also excellent in the air. He's very versatile and intelligent."

"So yes, he's still very young and has plenty of room to improve, but he already possesses exceptional, exceptional qualities."

João Pedro surprisingly missed Brazil's World Cup squad this summer, but was later recalled and included in the team's recent roster. When asked whether the exclusion provided additional motivation for the player, Alonso said: "He already has enough motivation. He has inner drive, so I don't need to do anything extra. It was painful for him, but that's in the past now. We focus on what he's doing well and where he can continue to improve."

"He's performing really well. Not just on the football pitch, but also in terms of character, maturity, and winning mentality. He has very clear objectives this season: to have an outstanding campaign and score many goals."

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