Chelsea may be willing to let winger Pedro Neto go in the near future, even though they turned down a transfer offer for him during the summer window. Under manager Enzo Maresca, the Portuguese international has been a regular this season. However, with so many attacking players at Stamford Bridge, the squad may need to be rearranged.
The Blues are said to have turned down an offer from a big European club for the £54 million signing just a few months ago because they wanted to keep their squad stable. The Athletic says that “one of Europe’s biggest sides” tried to sign the former Wolves star at the end of the summer transfer window.
Neto has been statistically productive this term, scoring four goals and assisting on two others in 17 appearances, which is only behind Enzo Fernandez and Marc Cucurella in total appearances. However, the rapid rise of other forwards has led to internal discussions about his long-term status.
Maresca has mainly used Neto on the right side this season because summer signings Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens have made the left side too competitive. But now Neto is under a lot of pressure from inside the team to keep his starting spot.
The 25-year-old is currently the first choice, but Brazilian star Estevao Willian is making a strong case to take over the role for good. The club has also reportedly agreed to pay £44 million for Geovany Quenda, a highly-rated right-winger who will join from Sporting Lisbon next summer. This stream of talent makes Neto’s spot on the team very shaky.
Chelsea have been ruthlessly efficient lately in planning their squad. Last summer, the club sold England international Noni Madueke to Arsenal to make it easier for Estevao, Garnacho, and Gittens to join the team.
Neto’s contract runs through 2031, and he remains a favorite of Maresca. However, if Quenda comes and Estevao plays well, the higher-ups might decide to sell him if there is renewed interest in the Portuguese winger.
Estevao is the superstar Chelsea has been waiting for
Since joining Chelsea, Estevao Willian has quickly gone from a future star to a current star. The Brazilian teen has lived up to the high expectations that came with his move by playing well enough to show that he is already on his way to becoming one of the best players in the world.
He had the biggest impact in the recent high-profile match against Barcelona, where he made the opposition’s defense look bad with his dribbling and decision-making. That performance was a statement of intent, showing that he can perform well on the biggest stage in European football.
No surprise: the fans are increasingly asking for Estevao to start every game. The young player is becoming the superstar that Chelsea has been looking for since the Boehly-Clearlake administration began.
