Why Chelsea could sell Pedro Neto to sign elite £34m winger

There’s a lot going on at Chelsea. Away from the pitch and the incipient Xabi Alonso era, stakeholders Mark Walter and Todd Boehly are in talks to sell their shares to Clearlake.

What that basically means is the powers that be are shifting gears, but nothing too drastic will be altered in the short-term, with Clearlake already assuming control of most Stamford Bridge-related operations.

The Alonso era will soon get underway, and there is no European football to look forward to after last year’s tenth-place finish. The Spanish tactician is ready to put that to rights, but after pulling off a number of signings already, BlueCo appear eager to shed off some of the deadwood.

While it would be unfair to brand him as such, Pedro Neto is being considered for the exit with just a few weeks to go.

Why Chelsea want to sell Pedro Neto

In fairness, money talks, and Chelsea believe Neto is worth £100m in the current crazy market. If suitors such as Manchester City or Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal are willing to pay that, then the Stamford Bridge side would be happy to make the transaction.

Last year, new Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho suggested that Neto is “one of the best wingers in the world“.

There’s no question that the Portugal international is an exciting player, but after joining Chelsea from Wolves for £54m in 2024, the versatile winger has only scored 19 goals and supplied 19 assists across 103 appearances,

The 26-year-old is a talented, multi-functional player, but is he starter material for a high-demand coach such as Alonso?

Last season, he started 30 Premier League games for the Blues, principally off the right wing, but only posted five goals and six assists.

Mourinho might be a big fan, but it does feel like Chelsea could find an upgrade if they searched hard enough. Indeed, they may have found just the player.

How Chelsea could replace Pedro Neto

Neto has had two impactful years in west London, but it would be difficult to argue he’s been indispensable for Chelsea, who could now replace him with one of his Portuguese teammates while making a significant profit.

As per Gazzetta dello Sport in Italy, Chelsea have given the green light to sign AC Milan attacker Rafael Leao, having been approached by intermediaries within the game to discuss a potential transfer. Leao could be signed for a cut-price £34m fee as the Serie A side look to make a few sales before the end of the transfer window.

The winger has been a mainstay for AC Milan since joining them from Lille in France in 2019. All told, the Portugal winger has scored 80 goals and supplied 65 assists across 291 appearances, winning one Serie A title.

Como scout Ben Mattinson believes the 27-year-old is “one of the best left wingers in the world”, and he showed that desite wider issues at his outfit last season, scoring nine goals across only 20 league starts while also ranking among the top 10% of positional peers in Italy for big chances created and the top 19% for successful dribbles per 90.

Breathlessly quick and dazzling when the ball is at his feet, Leao is one of the most exciting attackers in the world, and though his career has somewhat stagnated in Italy with AC Milan, there’s no question that Chelsea could recharge him.

He might even echo some of the qualities provided by Neto, albeit more comfortable on the left than the right (though Neto is skilled across a number of attacking roles).

Neto starred as his nation’s starting right winger at the World Cup, but he left a lot to be desired. He only completed 30% of his dribbles and failed to create a single big chance. It emphasises the argument for Chelsea to take the money and run, especially when considering signing Leao as a replacement would turn a £66m profit.

Chelsea are well stocked on the right, but with Alejandro Garnacho having gone to Aston Villa, Leao could play a big role down the left, jockeying with Morgan Rogers.

Moreover, his ever-improving clinical edge could see him fill in at centre-forward when the need arises. In any case, given the bargain price on offer, Chelsea would be foolish what could prove an astute upgrade on Neto.