Roberto De Zerbi admits he had never heard of Joao Pedro a year ago.

Pedro had made just 31 Premier League appearances prior to becoming Brighton's record signing, playing most of his football in the Championship with Watford and in Brazil with Fluminense.

But the £30million man is no stranger to his manager now after making an instant impression at the Amex Stadium.

Ahead of Brighton's clash with Wolves this evening, we analyse what makes the 22-year-old such an exciting player.

Sure-fire success

De Zerbi may have been in the dark — but Brighton's remarkable recruitment record meant Pedro was all but guaranteed to be a hit.

Albion have signed some of the best players in the country for small fees from all over the globe so must have been sold on the Brazilian to pay such a hefty sum to another English club.

And the versatile forward has made life on the South Coast look so straightforward that his boss is already pondering Brighton's future without him.

De Zerbi said last month: "He is becoming a top player. I hope in the next year to work with him but it will be very tough."

Free role

Pedro is not pinned down to one position, instead preferring to float across the frontline and into midfield to pick up the ball.

And while his natural dribbling skills are his best attribute, they are not to the detriment of his final product.

He is one of only three Premier League strikers to rank in the top 10 for completed take-ons and chances created.

The fact Pedro has been fouled more often than any other top-flight centre forward also proves how difficult he is to knock off the ball.

Instinct for goal

That combination play is what has edged him above Evan Ferguson in the pecking order at Brighton but Pedro is more than holding his own in the penalty area too.

Despite drifting all over the pitch to receive possession, the Europa League top goalscorer also ranks third for touches in the box per 90 minutes in the top flight.

And scoring 15 times this season, including six in Europe, is reward for his versatile approach.

Eight of those strikes have been penalties but his open-play brace at Stoke in the FA Cup last time out showed off his ability to sniff out chances.

Killer mentality

After making his senior Brazil debut in November, it is clear Pedro has the game to develop into one of the best forwards in world football.

But De Zerbi believes he must learn not to drift in and out of games before taking the next step.

He said: "I would like him to start the game at the beginning, not in the second half or after 20 minutes.

"It's for him, not for myself. To play at Brighton his performance is enough but to play at a higher level he has to play for 90 minutes."

Pedro will aim to make another decisive contribution when he comes up against Wolves at the Amex Stadium tonight.