August 11, (THEWILL) – Chelsea have finalised a deal to sign Portuguese winger, Pedro Neto, from Wolverhampton Wanderers for a reported fee of €60 million plus add-ons. Wolves manager, Gary O’Neil, confirmed the transfer, describing Neto as “irreplaceable” for the Midlands club.
Neto enjoyed his most productive English Premier League season in 2023/2024, registering nine assists in just 20 appearances despite two hamstring injuries limiting his playing time. His assist tally was bettered by only 11 players last term, with only Kevin De Bruyne achieving more in fewer minutes.
The 24-year-old leaves Molineux after five years, having established himself as a fan favourite. O’Neil admitted Neto was “emotional” about departing the club where he has spent a significant portion of his career so far.
While the substantial transfer fee will provide Wolves with funds to reinvest, O’Neil acknowledged it will be impossible to directly replace a player of Neto’s calibre. Instead, the manager plans to use the money to strengthen multiple areas of his squad.
O’Neil praised Neto’s abilities, stating: “When he is fit and free flowing there are not many like him in world football.” The Wolves boss expressed his disappointment at losing such a talented player but recognised the challenge of retaining him given his quality.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
