Chelsea could possibly be tempted to sell one in all Enzo Maresca’s key players – just months after they rejected an approach for the £54million star.
The Blues are in top form, recently thumping Barcelona 3-0, a result that has given them huge confidence ahead of the highest of the Premier Leagueclash against Arsenal on Sunday.
Maresca has loads of attacking options at his disposal but his most depended upon forward is Pedro Neto, with only Enzo Fernandez and Marc Cucurella making more appearances this season.
To date, the winger has scored 4 and assisted two in 17 appearances, adding to the 18 goal contributions he recorded last season following a £54m transfer from Wolves.
Nonetheless, it might have been very different as The Athletic have now reported that ‘one in all Europe’s biggest sides’ attempted to sign the Portugal international at the tip of the summer transfer window.
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Their approach was swiftly rejected by Chelsea, with Neto a preferred figure at Stamford Bridge each on and off the pitch, and it shouldn’t be clear which club made the move.
Nonetheless, the report adds that this may occasionally not be the tip of the transfer saga, and Neto’s future on the west London club could develop into uncertain next 12 months.
While able to playing across the forward line, Maresca has primarily deployed Neto on the right-flank, supported by Estevao Willian, with summer signings Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens competing to start out on the left.
For the time being, the 25-year-old is first-choice, but with every passing week there are growing calls for Estevao to start out, with many tipping the teenager to develop into one the world’s best players.
Furthermore, Chelsea have already got a £44m transfer agreed for highly-rated right-winger Geovany Quenda, who will join from Sporting Lisbon next summer.
Consequently, Neto’s place within the Blues squad may soon come under threat, which could prompt the club to sell him on if interest within the player rematerialises.
Chelsea have form for this, signing England star Noni Madueke in 2023 with the view that he could be the long run of the team, before selling him last summer to Arsenal to make way for Estevao, Garnacho and Gittens.
But this might be a surprising decision given Maresca’s fondness for the player, who’s under contract until 2031, and he shouldn’t be the one fan of the Portuguese.
Speaking ahead of Chelsea’s Champions League win over Benfica, legendary Blues manager Jose Mourinho said: ‘Pedro Neto is top-of-the-line wingers on the planet.
‘Roberto [Martinez] on the [Portugal] national team could be very privileged because he has not only Pedro Neto but 4 or five players of that profile. What can I say? I can wish him the absolute best, injury-free profession.’
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