The news of Pedro Neto’s transfer to Chelsea on Friday afternoon came completely out of the blue, with Enzo Maresca finally landing a talent who could improve his forward line.
Journalist Fabrizio Romano confirmed that an agreement between the Blues and Wolverhampton Wanderers had been reached over a £54m deal including add-ons that would see the 24-year-old swap the West Midlands for West London.
The Portuguese international has struggled with fitness issues in recent times, only managing 20 Premier League appearances during 2023/24, but did manage to register 11 goal contributions – with his attacking qualities undoubtedly improving the Blues’ frontline.
The spending under Todd Boehly doesn’t show any signs of slowing down, with Neto’s deal taking the fees paid for players to a staggering £150m – with the Wolves man being the most expensive of the lot this summer.
He could be joined at Stamford Bridge by one of his former teammates, with Chelsea still in the race for his signature despite the latest flurry of activity in the market.
Chelsea should sign £50m attacking ace
All summer long, Maresca has been eyeing up various attacking players to try and give his side the added edge in the final third, to help try and push the club back towards the top end of England’s top flight.
He could be helped in his attempts by the potential addition of Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White, with the Blues having been named earlier this month as one of the clubs who are pursuing a move.
However, they aren’t alone, with Arsenal, Newcastle and Aston Villa all keeping tabs on the 24-year-old’s situation at the City Ground.
Nuno Espírito Santo’s side are reluctant to part ways with their star man after he registered 15 goal contributions in the Premier League last season, but it has previously been reported that they could be willing to negotiate should they receive an offer in the region of £50m.
The Englishman would be a great addition for the Blues, potentially rekindling a partnership with ex-Wolves teammate Neto, whilst also being a dream addition for another potential Chelsea signing.
Why Gibbs-White would be a dream addition for Omorodion
Over the past couple of days, Chelsea have edged ever closer to the signing of striker Sami Omorodion from Atlético Madrid, with the two clubs agreeing a £35m for the 20-year-old.
The Spaniard spent last campaign on loan at fellow LaLiga side Deportivo Alaves, scoring eight goals in his 34 appearances – an average of one goal every 4.3 matches he appeared in.
He could be further aided by Gibbs-White should the pair both move to Stamford Bridge before the start of the campaign next weekend, with his creativity in the final third falling into the hands of the youngster.
The Forest ace, who Neto found “easy to play with” during their time together at Molineux, registered 4.9 progressive passes per 90 in the Premier League last season, with 3.6 of them being played into the final third of the pitch – showcasing his ability to play the ball into forward areas and thus hand more opportunities to Omorodion.
Games played
37
Goals + assists
15
Progressive passes
4.9
Progressive carries
2.3
Successful take-ons
1.3
Passes into final third
3.6
Key passes
2.1
He also managed an average of 1.3 successful take-ins and 2.3 progressive carries, with Gibbs-White loving to take the ball forward on a frequent basis – especially on transition.
Whilst it may cost Maresca and Boehly another huge sum after the signing of the aforementioned players, it would be a huge coup that would certainly provide added creativity in attacking areas.
As new man Neto has previously said of Gibbs-White's talents, "he likes to combine, he likes to come inside, he likes to play with the team" – all attributes that Maresca would surely love.
The former Wolves ace is destined for the very top of European football, with the £50m fee touted a potential steal for a player of his quality.
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