Pedro Neto has not always been the most popular figure among Chelsea fans. He has had his ups and downs since joining the club from Wolves. That being said, one cannot deny how integral he has become to Enzo Maresca's plans. He has scored four goals and provided two assists in 16 appearances across all competitions this season.
Beyond the numbers, Neto is also important to how Chelsea play. Whenever a break is on, you will see the players try to find the Portuguese winger, who can cover a lot of ground with his pace and quality on the ball. On top of that, he has the ability to play in several positions, which is an added bonus for any club he is at.
Unsurprisingly, Neto's performances have not gone unnoticed. And it looks like he is drawing the interest of Chelsea's opponents this week, FC Barcelona.
As reported by Fichajes, Neto has become a central focus of Barcelona's sporting planning. The biggest obstacle for Barca is Chelsea's firm stance. Internally, it's said that any negotiation would start from a figure exceeding €80 million, an amount that is beyond the Spanish club's current budget.
Chelsea ready to let Pedro Neto join Barcelona on one condition
So, it looks like Barcelona view Neto as someone who can improve their team. But the transfer fee Chelsea would want for him might be beyond their budget, unless they sanction some significant departures first.
Then again, that spot on the right flank might be handed to Estevao at some point in the near future. Many fans believe that the Brazilian is already good enough to be starting for the Blues consistently.
If that does happen, would Neto be open to the idea of staying on at Chelsea as a rotational option? Probably not. Then again, his versatility means that he can start on the opposite wing as well, where the Blues do not have a fixed starter either.