Can Pedro Neto Shake Off the Injury-Prone Label at Chelsea?
From Ricardo Carvalho to Paulo Ferreira, from José Boswinga to Raúl Meireles, few Premier League teams can boast of a stronger connection than Chelsea (Wolves aside). The Blues added three Portuguese players to their squad this summer, signing 20-year-old left back Renato Veiga from Basel for €14 million and 24-year-old attacking midfielder João Felix from Atlético Madrid for €52 million, but their most expensive signing has been Pedro Neto.
After developing at Braga’s academy, Neto made the move to Lazio alongside teammate Bruno Jordão on a two-year loan with an obligation to buy both players for a combined €26 million on August 31, 2017. Neither managed to make the step up to Serie A, and both players would leave two years later for Wolves. Jordão managed just one appearance for Wolves, bouncing around on loan from Famalicão to Grasshopper to Santa Clara before heading to Polish side Radomiak Radom on a permanent deal this summer.
As for Neto, however, he has emerged as an attacking presence for Wolves, racking up 14 goals and 24 assists in 135 appearances for the West Midlands side and even becoming a Portugal international. Whilst he has struggled with injuries, Neto has shown himself to be one of the most dangerous wingers in the Premier League when fit, and after five years, he has departed Molineux and taken his talents to London.
Photo: Opta Analyst
Before a nightmare knee injury that kept him out from April 2021 to February 2022, Neto ranked sixth amongst all players in the Premier League in terms of ball carries of at least five meters (503) and excelled at not only working it forward but delivering a deadly cross into the box for his striker to convert.
Prior to this 297-day-long absence, Neto ranked first in carrying the ball on the edge of the field with an average distance of (16) meters.
Despite missing four months last season with two separate hamstring injuries, Neto managed to finish as Wolves’ top assist provider in the Premier League with 2 goals and 9 assists in 20 appearances, whilst he ranked second in shots per game (1.8), shots on target per game (0.6) and big chances created (7) for Wolves, second for successful dribbles per game (1.9) as well as first in key passes per game (1.9).
Neto made his Chelsea debut in their season opener vs. Manchester City, replacing Christopher Nkunku for the final 37 minutes of their 2-0 defeat. He started the following match on the right side of attack and managed 57 minutes before being replaced in a 2-0 win vs. Servette, whilst his first away match as a Chelsea player took place at his former stomping grounds. Neto came on for Mykhaylo Mudryk and set up Félix’s goal to put the finishing touches on a 6-2 thrashing at Wolverhampton.
He missed out on their trip to Switzerland, with Chelsea losing 2-1 at Servette and narrowly managing to book their ticket to the UEFA Europa Conference League, but he was given the start in their following match vs. Crystal Palace. This time, Neto played on the left side of attack alongside Noni Madueke, Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson, but after failing to impose himself at Stamford Bridge, he was hauled off in the 58th minute for Félix immediately after Eberechi Eze’s equalizer.
At 24 years of age, Pedro Neto has made a name for himself at Wolves as an enthralling forward capable of putting every fan on the edge of their seat. Today, however, he finds himself on the brink of a new adventure at Chelsea. Injuries remain a worry for Neto, having already missed 126 matches, but if he can stay fit, he may very well end up being a bargain buy for the Blues.
By: Mahmoud Salem / @masalem6
Featured Image: Juan Castro / Matthew Ashton – AMA – Getty Images