NEWS. . . BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT
Paul Merson fears Arsenal have let Chelsea pass on signing Pedro Neto, saying the Portuguese striker is “unplayable” in his era.
Chelsea continued their usual spending by signing Neto in a £54m deal from Wolves last week.
The 24-year-old spent five seasons at Wolves, impressing widely and becoming one of the club’s most important players despite a few injuries.
Neto was a long-term target for Arsenal, so it was unexpected that Chelsea temporarily got his signature without much competition.
Reports this week suggest that Mikel Arteta has been dissuaded from the move due to Neto’s injury history, but Merson believes the club could accept the decision.
“If Chelsea can keep him fit, I think he’ll be a signing,” the former Arsenal star told Sky Sports.
If you need to play a safe style of football, in Man City and Arsenal, where they play with two wide players and bring the ball out, that’s what Chelsea have to do.
“If you can put Neto on the field, it will be the most productive draw. I think Arsenal missed a circular with him.
“If he goes to Arsenal, he will take on the workload of [Bukayo] Saka and [Gabriel] Martinelli.
“Chelsea were very clever, they did it very temporarily and quietly. [It’s a] signing. “
However, everyone is convinced of the signing, with Roy Keane suggesting that Neto’s injury history poses too much of a risk.
‘No! He’s still hurt! Damn love. He’s like [Luke] Shaw,” Keane responded when asked on The Overlap with Sky Bet if he was a smart signing for Chelsea.
“It will rise to chaos. It will rise to chaos. He’ll run back and forth and then spend six months on the remedies table for a hamstring injury.
Put us in your feed