Chelsea are allegedly on the brink of winning the race for a Premier League winger who has been linked with numerous clubs in England’s top flight.
Chelsea are reportedly in advanced talks to secure the signature of Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Pedro Neto.
In keeping with the trend that has been set since the arrival of Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital as co-owners, the Blues have been relentless in the transfer market this summer.
A total of nine signings have been made, some of whom will not arrive at Stamford Bridge until next year, with the club’s recruitment team attempting to find a balance between building a squad for the present and future.
While Chelsea are not necessarily short in any area of the pitch, their wide players – aside from Cole Palmer – have generally been inconsistent over the past 12 months.
Of the current crop, only Noni Madueke has made a positive impression in pre-season, with the long-term futures of Raheem Sterling and Mykhaylo Mudryk very much up in the air.
As first reported by RMC Sport journalist Fabrice Hawkins, Chelsea have made their latest move to resolve their lingering issues in the final third.
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Neto closing on Chelsea transfer
Hawkins reports that Chelsea and Wolves are in the final stages of talks regarding a big-money transfer for the Portugal international.
Neto is said to have given the green light to a move to Stamford Bridge, the expectation being that a deal will be finalised in due course.
In a separate report by David Ornstein of The Athletic, it is claimed that the West Londoners are ready to pay €60m (£51.4m) plus a further €3m (£2.57m) in add-ons to sign the 24-year-old.
A medical is likely to take place over the coming days with Chelsea keen to have Neto in the squad for the Premier League opener against Manchester City on August 18.
City, as well as the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool, have been heavily linked with a move for Neto, yet it appears that they have either missed out or chosen not to match Chelsea’s offer.
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Who is getting the better deal?
Wolves have previously valued Neto in the region of £60m and the majority of their supporters will argue that the price-tag is justified.
On the flip side, this is a player who has made just 38 Premier League appearances across the last two seasons having been plagued by significant injuries.
When fit, Neto is one of the best wingers in the division, contributing two goals and nine assists from his 1,519 minutes of action during 2023-24.
Nevertheless, Chelsea are undoubtedly taking a risk on Neto, who has still only made three starts for Portugal despite making 19 squads at that level.