Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Joao Pedro has been in scintillating form for Chelsea during their pre-season tour.
Pedro scored for Chelsea once again on Saturday, grabbing a brace in their 3-0 win against AC Milan.
The centre-forward failed to score in the defeats to Juventus and Tottenham Hotspur, but he did bag a hat-trick in the 6-4 victory over Western Sydney Wanderers.
Yes, these have all been friendlies, but at this point you would have to consider Pedro one of the Premier League’s very top strikers.
Joao Pedro has surpassed Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike
In the past, Manchester United legend Gary Neville has claimed that Erling Haaland, Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike are on another level to Pedro.
As Neville discussed Chelsea signing Pedro a year ago, he said: “I have to say, they [Chelsea] look well short for me, still, up front. For all the money that they’ve spent, and I know they’ve got good players, he’s got [Liam] Delap and Joao Pedro, who’s a good player. But they’re still not at that level, where you think that they’re nothing like Haaland, or Isak or even Ekitike for that matter.”
Haaland, he has a point. Right now, bar Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe, there is probably not another forward in world football who can go toe to toe with the Manchester City star.
However, a season later, few would agree with Neville’s take on Isak and Ekitike. Chelsea fans would not anyway.
Ekitike was never miles ahead of Pedro, and while there may have been a gap between the Brazilian and Isak, that is definitely gone now. Pedro is undoubtedly superior.
Hugo Ekitike comes on as a substitute to replace Alexander Isak of Liverpool
Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images
Isak had injury problems last term, scoring just three goals in 14 Premier League appearances. Ekitike fared better, netting 11 times in 28 outings.
It was Pedro, though, who scored the most number of goals after finding the back of the net on 15 occasions, although he did play more games than both players.
As well as that, his hold-up and link-up play were better and are probably what set the former Brighton & Hove Albion man apart from most other No.9s in the Premier League.
Pedro is exceptional at protecting the ball and winning fouls, while he can also drop deep and take players with him, allowing his teammates to make darting runs in behind.
At 24, Pedro already looks like the complete centre-forward. He has surpassed Isak and Ekitike but needs more prolific seasons before he can enter any kind of conversation involving Haaland.