Barcelona urged to consider Chelsea forward Joao Pedro as Julian Alvarez alternative by AI analysis

Barcelona have been advised by an artificial intelligence tool to target Chelsea forward Joao Pedro as their leading alternative if a move for Julian Alvarez fails to materialise, according to a report in Spanish outlet Sport.

The Catalan club regard Argentina international Alvarez as their top option to strengthen the attack, but progress has been blocked, with Atletico Madrid unwilling to enter talks over selling their star.

Sport reports that sporting director Deco is actively assessing other possibilities in parallel and has also consulted AI-based analysis, which generated a shortlist of candidates in case Barcelona cannot secure Alvarez.

Among those options, the AI model identified Joao Pedro as the most suitable attacking reinforcement. The 24-year-old Chelsea player is described as the preferred choice in terms of tactical fit with Barcelona’s style.

According to the report, the AI tool stated: “سيكون بيدرو، بديلي الاول لجوليان الفاريز. انه ليس مهاجما تقليديا، لكنه يستطيع اللعب كراس حربة او كمهاجم ثان او صانع العاب، والربط بين الخطوط والمشاركة في الضغط. وربما يكون المرشح الاكثر انسجاما مع لاعبي برشلونة، لانه لا يحتاج الى البقاء دايما داخل منطقة الجزاء”.

That assessment highlights Joao Pedro’s versatility, stressing his ability to operate as a central striker, second forward or creator, link play between the lines and contribute to pressing from the front – qualities viewed as compatible with Barcelona’s preferred approach in the final third.

However, the analysis also underlines that signing Joao Pedro would be complicated financially. Chelsea paid €70m to bring the Brazilian to Stamford Bridge last summer, a fee that sets a high baseline for any negotiation.

The AI model reportedly warned that the main obstacle would not be sporting but economic, given the London club’s investment and the length of the player’s contract.

It added: “المشكلة تكمن في الصفقة. جواو بيدرو مرتبط بعقد حتى عام 2033، وقد تم اختياره افضل لاعب في النادي خلال موسم 2025-2026، لذا فان اقناع تشيلسي بالتخلي عنه سيكون مكلفا للغاية”.

Joao Pedro is tied to Chelsea until 2033 and, according to the same report, was voted the club’s player of the season for the 2025-26 campaign, further increasing his importance to the Premier League side and driving up his potential market value.

Reflecting this contrast between suitability and feasibility, the AI system gave Joao Pedro a rating of 9 out of 10 for how well he fits Barcelona’s needs, but only 4 out of 10 for the likelihood of completing a transfer.

Barcelona, who are exploring options to bolster their forward line under financial constraints, are expected to keep Alvarez as their primary target while continuing to monitor other names suggested by both traditional scouting and data-driven tools.