Joao Pedro wins first Premier League Player of the Month award

Joao Pedro has won the Premier League's Player of the Month award for the first time after contributing two goals and two assists in his opening three games of the season. The Chelsea forward's award was announced on Friday, according to BBC Sport's reporting from the club's Cobham training centre, adding individual recognition to his productive start to the campaign.

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The 24-year-old Brazil international finished ahead of Chelsea team-mate Cole Palmer for the honour. Palmer had been the club's most recent winner, taking the award in September 2024. Joao Pedro's success comes after he was given Chelsea's number nine shirt at the beginning of this season and signed a new contract last month that runs until 2034.

His early contributions build on a debut campaign in which he became Chelsea's first striker since Diego Costa to score 20 goals in a season. BBC Sport reported that Joao Pedro has now accumulated 25 goals and 11 assists across 57 appearances since joining the club last summer. His Chelsea goals include one in a Club World Cup final victory.

Manager Xabi Alonso also praised the forward's range of attributes, drawing a comparison with former Real Madrid team-mate Karim Benzema. Alonso highlighted Joao Pedro's effectiveness both inside and outside the penalty area, his heading and his intelligence. The Chelsea player has previously operated in midfield, as a number 10 and on the wing, rather than playing exclusively as a central striker throughout his career.

Asked whether Joao Pedro could be placed alongside Manchester City's Erling Haaland among the Premier League's leading strikers, Alonso said he could. Their recent scoring records remain different: the BBC put Haaland's return over his last 57 City appearances at 42 goals and nine assists. The comparison was Alonso's assessment of the players, rather than a claim that their goalscoring totals were equivalent.

Joao Pedro's start to the club season has followed his omission from Brazil's World Cup squad this summer. He has since been recalled for September internationals against New Zealand and India. Alonso acknowledged that missing the tournament had hurt the forward, but said he already possessed ample motivation, praising his maturity, personality and desire as well as his football.