'Hope to reach his level' - Joao Pedro admits 'taking a lot of inspiration' from Harry Kane as Chelsea star dismisses Didier Drogba comparisons

Published May. 13, 2026 9:59 a.m. ET

GOAL

The No.9 transition

Speaking in a joint interview with

To perfect this role, he closely watches elite marksmen, including Barcelona star Robert Lewandowski and Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane. Pedro said: "Today, I really like Kane and Lewandowski. I followed Kane more because of the Premier League and I take a lot of inspiration from him."

The Kane inspiration

Pedro views himself as a modern attacker who links the play, a trait mastered by

Furthermore, according to

"I’m a participative No.9. I can build play and score a lot of goals too," the Brazilian explained. Reflecting on facing the England captain, Pedro added: "When I played against Kane, I paid a lot of attention to him. We swapped shirts too. He’s a player I admire and I hope to reach his level."

Dismissing the Drogba comparisons

Naturally, Pedro’s prolific start in West London has drawn comparisons to Didier Drogba. The Ivorian icon is a monumental figure at the club, having played 381 matches for Chelsea, scoring 164 goals and providing 86 assists. While acknowledging the immense legacy left behind by the legendary forward, Pedro is determined to remain grounded and write his own history without the burden of emulation.

Addressing the expectations, the striker responded: "Drogba is an idol at Chelsea. Some fans joke: ‘Maybe we found the new Drogba?’ But I try to go my own way, slowly, without thinking too much about that."