Joao Pedro is likely to miss Chelsea's gameweek 5 contest against Brentford after being withdrawn from Brazil's squad with injury.
Scoring 20 goals and registering nine assists in all competitions, Pedro enjoyed a remarkable debut campaign for Chelsea after signing from Brighton in a deal worth a reported £60m.
He's shown no signs of slowing down in the early stages of the 2026/27 term, finding the net on three occasions and notching three assists in four Premier League appearances.
His inevitability in front of goal has seen him become the most popular asset in FPL -- owned by 74.4% of players -- but a question mark hangs over his availability on Friday night after he was removed from Brazil's squad for the September and October international break due to injury.
We've taken a look at three potential FPL replacements for the in form Chelsea striker ahead of the gameweek 5 deadline.
Potential FPL replacements for Joao Pedro
Kai Havertz - £7.6m (ARS)
Few looked in the direction of Kai Havertz before the season started due to uncertainty over whether it would be him or Viktor Gyokeres that led the line for Arsenal, but the versatile German has seemingly made the position his own in just a matter of gameweeks.
He opened his account with a well-taken finish against Coventry City on the opening weekend and doubled his tally in the Gunners' 2-1 win over Chelsea at the Emirates.
Gyokeres has failed to impress in the few chances that he has been given, and so there's nothing to suggest that he will displace Havertz in the near future. Priced £0.2m cheaper than Pedro, Havertz is a reliable replacement and boasts significant upside when the reigning Premier League champions welcome lesser teams to the Emirates.
Yoane Wissa - £6.2m (NEW)
For those that haven't jumped on the Yoane Wissa bandwagon, it's not too late.
After a nightmare debut campaign at Newcastle United, the £50m striker looks like a completely different player at the start of the 2026/27 season, assisting against Liverpool and finding the net with an acrobatic effort away at Tottenham Hotspur.
The Magpies' gameweek 5 contest against Hull City marks the start of a favourable run of fixtures, and Wissa looks like a shrewd selection -- who also comes in at £1.6m cheaper than Pedro.
Liam Delap - £5.5m (NFO)
While Thierno Barry, Emersonn and Charalampos Kostoulas all look like enticing picks, Liam Delap has emerged as the standout £5.5m forward after netting his first goal for Nottingham Forest against Aston Villa at the weekend.
Initial concerns were flagged regarding his playing time, but he's started both of Forest's last two games and appears to have pipped Igor Jesus to the starting centre forward spot.
Delap's 2024/25 campaign with Ipswich Town -- where he scored 12 Premier League goals for the newly promoted side -- is proof that the 23-year-old can consistently perform, and he looks a solid pick to replace Pedro.
