Chelsea recruit Pedro Neto to amp up their effectiveness in attack
It is often emphasised that having a deep squad is crucial for competing on multiple fronts, but Chelsea may have taken this to an extreme.
Depending on the source, there are reportedly between 30 and 50 members in Enzo Maresca’s first-team squad. Social media has been flooded with images of the club’s extensive squad depth charts. However, once the new season is underway, the Italian tactician will likely have a more manageable number of players at his disposal.
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What’s undeniable is their current summer transfer expenditure; no fewer than nine players have joined the Stamford Bridge club, with every area covered. The most recent signee is Pedro Neto, relocating from Wolves.
The former Premier League champions acquired his services for £54 million, taking their summer spending past £200 million, but this acquisition could be transformative, like Cole Palmer’s last summer.
Ready to make his mark in Blue.
Welcome to Chelsea, Pedro Neto! 🔵 pic.twitter.com/XdJvsrdlH5
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 11, 2024
Neto, who became Wolves’ record sale, made 135 appearances, registering 14 goals since joining in 2019 from Lazio, and last season was a breakthrough campaign for the 24-year-old Portuguese winger.
He finished with nine Premier League assists, four behind ‘playmaker king’ Ollie Watkins, but at one stage, he was dominating the race, with his seventh goal creation coming after his 10th appearance.
However, the native of Viana do Castelo sustained a hamstring injury that robbed him of 17 appearances across two spells (from matchday 11 to 18 and 30 to 37, which included a rearranged fixture against Bournemouth). In the other ten matches he played, Neto created two goals.
Aside from the amazing Palmer (11), no other Chelsea player registered more than seven with Neto’s rivals on the flanks: Raheem Sterling (4), Noni Madueke (2), and Mykhailo Mudryk (2) all falling short.
Though it’s Neto’s intangibles that may have piqued Maresca’s interest, and if his Chelsea side is to be moulded in the same fashion as the leading contenders for next season’s crown — defending champions Manchester City and incredible runners-up Arsenal — then it’s a no-brainer signing.
Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta are well-known for depending on one-on-one monsters further up the pitch and out wide. Even during an injury-hit spell at Wolves, Neto has proven to be one of the best-attacking wingers in the Premier League in individual running battles. “Don’t turn it down, let’s go every single time. Don’t care if you lose it, test him. Let’s go,” said Wolves boss Gary O’Neil last season when asked about his individual instructions.
Neto didn’t need a second invitation, as he was frequently involved in one-on-one battles last season. Importantly, he also had a strong end product. Only Kevin De Bruyne (0.73) averaged more assists per 90 minutes than Neto (0.53).
What’s more, Neto is equally effective on either flank and boasted 2.2 successful dribbles per 90 minutes in the Premier League last season. With Mudryk, Madueke, and Sterling capable of one-on-one effectiveness, the Blues ranked second for dribbles per 90 minutes (10.5) in England’s top division last term, behind Neto’s former club Wolves (10.9).
It appears Chelsea will have a variety of wingers to complement the aggressive style of play that Maresca wants. Only time will tell if they can recapture past glories.
