Adrian Clarke analyses the key summer signings and the impact they could make at their new clubs in the Premier League this season.
Player analysis – Pedro Neto (Chelsea)
A fully fit, in-form Neto improves Chelsea’s starting XI, so it is easy to see why they have signed the Portuguese winger from Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The 24-year-old’s injury record across the past three seasons will be a legitimate concern for some, and many will also argue that targeting a striker should have been Enzo Maresca’s priority.
Both are valid points, but the Italian does place a heavy tactical emphasis on width, playing a brand of football designed to help isolate his wingers in 1v1 situations.
In those situations, Neto can be a nightmare to contain.
Not only was he the fourth-fastest player in last season’s Premier League campaign, but Kevin De Bruyne was also the only top-flight player to produce more assists per 90 minutes than Neto.
Assists per 90, 2023/24
| Player | Total |
|---|---|
| Kevin De Bruyne | 0.73 |
| Pedro Neto | 0.53 |
| Jacob Murphy | 0.53 |
| Jeremy Doku | 0.45 |
| Michael Olise | 0.42 |
What will Neto add to Chelsea?
Neto’s nine assists from 20 appearances last season will have been a huge factor in Chelsea’s decision to pursue him this summer.
As a collective, Raheem Sterling (four), Noni Madueke (two) and Mykhailo Mudryk (two) did not deliver as many assists as their new team-mate in 2023/24, despite being on the pitch for an additional 3,096 combined minutes.
Whether he plays on the right or left flank, Neto’s forte is to explode past defenders on the outside, driving towards the opposition goal.
And as you can see from his assist map, Neto’s speed and directness gets him into advanced areas where he likes to cut the ball back or square it across the face of goal.
He is also more willing to put the ball into the area than Chelsea’s wingers were under Mauricio Pochettino.
The consistency of Neto’s supply line should in theory help Nicolas Jackson, Christopher Nkunku and onrushing midfielders such as Cole Palmer to receive better quality chances.
How Neto compares to Chelsea wingers
| 2023/24 | Neto | Sterling | Mudryk | Madueke |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open-play crosses/90 | 4.51 | 2.68 | 2.22 | 1.79 |
| Passes into box/90 | 7.83 | 3.77 | 5.70 | 2.39 |
Speed machine
Ukrainian winger Mudryk catches the eye with his tremendous acceleration, but last season he was only ranked 32nd in the division, with a top speed of 35.73km/h.
Sterling (36th) and Madueke (97th) are also quick, but none of the Chelsea wingers can live with Neto’s electric pace.
Leaving a trail of defenders in his wake, Neto’s 36.86km/h top speed put him inside the Premier League’s top five.
Fastest PL players 23/24
| Player | Club | Km/h |
| Micky van de Ven | TOT | 37.38 |
|---|---|---|
| Chiedozie Ogbene | LUT | 36.93 |
| Anthony Elanga | NOT | 36.91 |
| Pedro Neto | WOL | 36.86 |
| Jakub Moder | BHA | 36.84 |
Where can Neto improve?
At his best, Neto is almost unstoppable when running with the ball.
He carries it 14.53 metres on average, a figure only Luton Town’s Chiedozie Ogbene and Nottingham Forest’s Anthony Elanga eclipsed in 2023/24.
Not every dribble will come off, but he constantly asks questions of his markers.
To improve, Neto must learn to make better decisions at the end of those runs.
His shot conversion rate (including blocks) of 5.56 per cent last season was poor, and way behind Sterling, Mudryk and Madueke, who were all above 14 per cent.
Considering how many progressive ball carries he made, Neto did not create anywhere near enough chances from those situations either.
Falling short of the productivity supplied by the Blues’ wingers from ball carries, he had a shot or made a key pass just once every 60 minutes from those type of runs.
Minutes per chance-ending ball carry 23/24
| Player | Total |
|---|---|
| Noni Madueke | 43.50 |
| Mykhailo Mudryk | 45.11 |
| Cole Palmer | 46.85 |
| Raheem Sterling | 56.60 |
| Pedro Neto | 60.72 |
Where will Neto play?
Maresca will likely go with a a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 formation, and while Neto is an option to use in central areas, he is more likely to be a first-choice wide player.
At Leicester City, the Italian head coach played wingers on the opposite side to their stronger foot, which means Neto is likely to feature on the right.
That is where Gary O’Neil used him most, but Neto is equally confident starting on the other side.
If Mudryk and Sterling do not hit the ground running on the left, Neto could easily be switched to that side of the pitch.
Except for goals and shots, Neto outshone them both during the previous campaign.
Injury problems
This acquisition is exciting but has been taken with an element of risk in mind.
Since suffering a fractured kneecap in April 2021, Neto has been plagued by injury problems.
In 2022/23, a serious ankle injury kept him out for a lengthy spell, and last season hamstring issues restricted him to just 18 starts.
Neto apps/mins last four seasons
| Season | Starts (sub apps) | Mins | % of season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020/21 | 30 (1) | 2,559 | 74.8% |
| 2021/22 | 5 (8) | 466 | 13.6% |
| 2022/23 | 13 (5) | 972 | 28.4% |
| 2023/24 | 18 (2) | 1,521 | 44.4% |
Maresca’s desire to get the ball wide as a matter of course will certainly suit Neto, who should add a layer of extra penetration to their attack.
Playing in a possession-heavy side against lower blocks is something new for him to get used to, but his pace will be an asset in those contests.
On the face of it he is an excellent signing, but there is no doubt that Chelsea are also gambling on Neto having better luck with injuries.
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