Considering Xabi Alonso have around 44 senior players in his squad, there will have to be numerous departures from Chelsea before the transfer window closes on 1 September. In recent days, Trevoh Chalobah has been sold to Como for €30 million, while Dastan Satpayev has joined Burnley on a season-long loan. So, could Pedro Neto be the next man out the Cobham exit door?
Well, as reported by journalist Sacha Tavolieri, Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal "have reached an agreement" with Pedro Neto over personal terms. He adds that Chelsea are "open" to sale, and value the Portuguese winger at €60 million, which is around £51 million. The Riyāḍh-based outfit are supposedly "confident" of getting this deal over the line, with "talks ongoing".
Neto joined Chelsea from Wolverhampton Wanderers for £54 million two summers ago. Since then, he has been a key figure for the Blues, making 103 appearances, including started 54 Premier League games. However, at only 26 years old, he could become the latest Portuguese player to be heading for Saudi Arabia. His current international team mates Rúben Neves, Francisco Trincão, João Félix and, of course, Cristiano Ronaldo are all based out there, so will Neto soon join them?
Why Chelsea can afford to sell Pedro Neto
As one might expect, Chelsea are absolutely stacked when it comes to winger/number ten options. If new head coach Alonso is going to deploy a 3-4-2-1, as many are forecasting, that would leave only two spots in his starting XI and, with no European football, less need to rotate than usual.
Having joined from Aston Villa for £117 million, a British record fee, one can assume that Morgan Rogers will be a first choice starter. He close friend Cole Palmer, and Chelsea's star man, will surely take up the other starting spot, when fit and available. Alonso though also has teenaged star Estêvão Willian, as well as Jamie Gittens, the available again Mykhailo Mudryk, and potentially Enzo Fernández fighting for these positions too. Thus, while Neto can contribute, he might just be squeezed out.
What Al-Hilal will need to do to sign Pedro Neto
As we all know, Saudi clubs can offer astronomically high wages and transfer fees too, making them the ideal buyers when European clubs are looking to offload dead wood. Thus, finances will not be the obstacle to making this deal happen. What might be is the fact that Saudi Pro League clubs are only permitted to register nine overseas players, one of which must be under-21.
Well, right now, Al-Hilal have 14, including Crysencio Summerville, who has just arrived for £60 million. They are seeking to get rid of Darwin Núñez and others, but Simone Inzaghi will surely want to keep most of Cancelo, Neves, Sergej Milinković-Savić, Kalidou Koulibaly, Yusuf Akçiçek, Yassine Bounou, Théo Hernandez, Malcom and star striker Karim Benzema. Thus, finding room for Neto will be the challenge.
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