RisingTransfers
AI DNA Similarity

Best Alternatives to Paulinho

Players most similar to Paulinho (Attacker, €7.8M) — ranked by AI DNA similarity score across playing style, pressing intensity, and tactical fit.

Top 3 Alternatives to Paulinho

  1. 1.Pau Víctor84% DNA match·Sporting Braga€10.0M
  2. 2.Felipe Augusto83% DNA match·Trabzonspor€6.0M
  3. 3.Estéban Lepaul83% DNA match·Rennes€20.0M

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

RT

Intelligence Verdict

GoalsTop 4%
???Bottom 7%

Paulinho is the kind of striker Liga MX defences quietly dread—a penalty box predator whose 0.83...

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Playing Style Analysis

PoacherProlific

Paulinho is the kind of striker Liga MX defences quietly dread—a penalty box predator whose 0.83 goals per 90 places him in the top 5% of attackers in the division, converting chances with a ruthlessness that most forwards in this league simply cannot match. His aerial dominance is equally striking, winning 61.5% of his duels in the air—top 10% in the league—making him a genuine threat from crosses and set pieces. Here's the counterintuitive part: his low pass volume and modest dribble numbers aren't signs of passivity, they're signs of specialisation. The three most similar players to Paulinho by playing style are:

  • Pau Víctor(84% match)A Complete Forward. Statistically, he stands out as a regular goalscorer (0.34 goals/90), a reliable supplier (0.17 assists/90) and meticulous in distribution (86% pass accuracy).
  • Felipe Augusto(83% match)A Poacher. Statistically, he stands out as a constant goal threat (2.8 shots/90), a proven goalscorer (0.57 goals/90) and top 20% scorer in the league.
  • Estéban Lepaul(83% match)A Poacher. Statistically, he stands out as a constant goal threat (3.5 shots/90), a proven goalscorer (0.63 goals/90), a prolific assist provider (0.42 assists/90) and top 20% scorer in the league. Note: this profile is based on 861 minutes of playing time this season.

Transfer Intelligence

Pau Víctor delivers 84% of the same playing style, at a 29% premium over Paulinho, with 0.37 goals per 90 at age 24. That's 50% of Paulinho's output in goals per 90 — a credible like-for-like option.

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

P
Comparison Base
Paulinho
AttackerPortugal€7.8M
Full profile →

Similar Players — Ranked by DNA Similarity

#1
P
Pau Víctor
Sporting Braga · Liga Portugal
Spain24yContract 2030
G/900.37
A/900.17
Complete Forward
Last 5: ↑ Hot
vs Paulinho: 9y younger · -0.37 G/90
84% match
€10.0M
#2
F
Felipe Augusto
Trabzonspor · Super Lig
Brazil22yContract 2029
G/900.57
A/900.00
PoacherProlific
Last 5: → Stable
vs Paulinho: 11y younger · -0.17 G/90
83% match
€6.0M
#3
E
Estéban Lepaul
Rennes · Ligue 1
France26yContract 2029
G/900.63
A/900.42
PoacherProlific
Last 5: ↑ Hot
vs Paulinho: €12M more expensive · 7y younger · -0.12 G/90
83% match
€20.0M
#4
L
Luis Suárez
Sporting CP · Liga Portugal
Colombia28yContract 2030
G/900.93
A/900.21
PoacherProlific
Last 5: → Stable
82% match
€22.0M
#5
T
Tadeo Allende
Inter Miami · La Liga
Argentina27yContract 2030
G/900.00
A/900.00
Inside ForwardProlific
81% match
€5.0M
#6
R
Roberto Fernández
Espanyol · La Liga
Spain23yContract 2031
G/900.22
A/900.17
Target Man
Last 5: ↓ Dip
81% match
€10.0M
#7
P
Pablo Durán
Celta de Vigo · La Liga
Spain24yContract 2027
G/900.08
A/900.08
Last 5: ↓ Dip
82% match
€4.0M
#8
M
Mateo Pellegrino
Parma · Serie A
Argentina24yContract 2029
G/900.22
A/900.07
Target Man
81% match
€10.0M
#9
V
Vangelis Pavlidis
Benfica · Liga Portugal
Greece27yContract 2029
G/900.83
A/900.14
Complete ForwardProlific
Last 5: ↓ Dip
80% match
€35.0M
#10
R
Raphinha
FC Barcelona · La Liga
Brazil29yContract 2028
G/900.93
A/900.21
Inside ForwardProlific
Last 5: ↑ Hot
81% match
€80.0M
#11
G
Gonçalo Guedes
Real Sociedad · La Liga
Portugal29yContract 2028
G/900.34
A/900.21
Inside ForwardProlific
Last 5: ↓ Dip
81% match
€6.0M
#12
J
Jhon Durán
Fenerbahçe · Super Lig
Colombia22yContract 2026
G/900.50
A/900.33
Goal Scorer
Last 5: ↑ Hot
81% match
€25.0M

Ask AI: Why are these players similar?

Our 768-dimension Player DNA model matches playing style, physical profile, pressing intensity, and tactical fit. Ask the AI to explain exactly what makes these players statistically similar to Paulinho.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who are the best alternatives to Paulinho?
The top alternatives to Paulinho based on AI DNA playing style analysis include: Pau Víctor, Felipe Augusto, Estéban Lepaul, Luis Suárez, Tadeo Allende. These players were matched using Rising Transfers' 768-dimension DNA model across playing style, pressing intensity, and tactical fit — not just position or market value.
Which players are similar to Paulinho in 2026?
Players with a similar profile to Paulinho in 2026 include Pau Víctor (€10.0M), Felipe Augusto (€6.0M), Estéban Lepaul (€20.0M). For a deeper DNA-level comparison including playing style, physical attributes, and tactical fit, ask Rising Transfers' AI directly.
What position does Paulinho play and who plays similarly?
Paulinho plays as a Attacker. Players with a comparable positional profile include Pau Víctor (Spain, €10.0M); Felipe Augusto (Brazil, €6.0M); Estéban Lepaul (France, €20.0M); Luis Suárez (Colombia, €22.0M).
How does Rising Transfers find similar players?
Rising Transfers uses a proprietary 768-dimension Player DNA model trained on 3.2 million match events. Each player is represented as a vector across 35+ per-90 metrics including pressing intensity, passing footprint, dribbling profile, and defensive contribution. Similarity is measured using cosine distance — the same technique used in state-of-the-art AI systems — making it the most precise player comparison tool available publicly.