Best Alternatives to João Simões

Top 3 Alternatives to João Simões

1. 1.Manu Silva88% DNA match·Benfica€10.0M
2. 2.Leandro Barreiro87% DNA match·Benfica€15.0M
3. 3.Daniel Bragança86% DNA match·Sporting CP€10.0M

Ranked by AI DNA similarity — 768 dimensions across playing style, pressing intensity, and tactical fit.

Playing Style Analysis

A Box-to-Box. Statistically, he stands out as meticulous in distribution (88% pass accuracy), heavily involved in play (63 touches/90) and active off the ball (2.6 press score/90), contributing to defensive transitions. However, he loses possession under pressure (1.7 dispossessed/90) and prone to committing fouls (3.0/90). The three most similar players to João Simões by playing style are:

• Manu Silva(88% match) — A Ball-Winner. Statistically, he stands out as a capable chance creator (1.3 key passes/90), an aggressive ball-winner (2.8 tackles/90), wins the physical battle (56% duel success), creates high-quality scoring opportunities (1.33 big chances/90), central to possession (77 touches/90), strong in aerial duels (3.5 aerials won/90) and switches play with precision (8.6 long balls/90, 66% accuracy). Note: this profile is based on 678 minutes of playing time this season.
• Leandro Barreiro(87% match) — Barreiro is the rare midfielder who wins headers like a centre-back but still finds pockets to create like a number ten. His aerial win rate sits in the top 5% of Liga Portugal midfielders—a genuinely freakish number for someone operating in central midfield rather than set-piece territory—and it quietly underpins his value in transition, winning second balls that never show up in highlight reels. His 0.22 assists per 90 and near-1 key pass per 90 suggest a player with real creative intent, not just a recycler.
• Daniel Bragança(86% match) — A Creator. Statistically, he stands out as an elite creator (1.7 key passes/90), a constant goal threat (2.6 shots/90), a regular goalscorer (0.25 goals/90), a prolific assist provider (0.33 assists/90), active in the tackle (2.1 tackles/90), meticulous in distribution (91% pass accuracy), wins the physical battle (58% duel success), creates high-quality scoring opportunities (1.25 big chances/90), central to possession (71 touches/90) and top 20% creator in the league.

Similarity is calculated using per-90 performance data across multiple playing style dimensions. How Player DNA matching works →