Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images
Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images
Chelsea striker Joao Pedro’s incredible start to the 2026/27 season has been rewarded with the Premier League Player of the Month award for August.
Pedro scored and assisted against both Brighton and Fulham in the first month of the season, as he led the new-look, exciting front three at Stamford Bridge superbly.
Plenty of attention has been on Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer for their dynamic off the pitch, but the Brazilian has rightfully been named the most impressive player of the first month of the season.
Arsenal FC v Chelsea FC - Premier League 2026/27
Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images
Joao Pedro is the first Chelsea player since Deco to win Player of the Month under new manager
Palmer was the last Chelsea player to win the award, with no other player picking up the accolade since Eden Hazard’s time at the club.
It is even more impressive that Pedro has done this in the first month of the club playing competitive games under the new manager, Xabi Alonso.
In fact, it is the first time in 18 years that a Chelsea player has won the award in the first month of a new boss’ reign at Stamford Bridge.
You have to go back to the days of Luiz Felipe Scolari and new signing Deco in August 2008 to find the last time this happened, however things didn’t go so well for the rest of the campaign.
Scolari was sacked in February 2009, and Chelsea finished the campaign seven points shy of champions Manchester United.
Any hopes of a title push this season were already faint before the Blues were given a reminder of Arsenal’s quality in their meeting at the Emirates last weekend.
They are still in line for a strong season though, and the impact of Pedro up front is a key reason why there is so much confidence they can outscore the majority of their opponents.
The Brazil international is on a mission to prove Carlo Ancelotti was wrong to not take him to the 2026 World Cup as part of the Brazil squad.
He will be hoping to continue his excellent start to the season when the Blues host Hull City at Stamford Bridge.