It was inevitable that Pedro Neto would leave Wolves after the 2023/24 campaign, with the winger joining Chelsea in the summer.
Being a loyal servant to Wolves for five years, Neto signed for Chelsea for £54m on the back of an impressive 2023/24 calendar.
While the forward was one of the Old Gold’s biggest threats in attack, his injury record was questionable, leading the club to sanction his exit whilst his value was high.
Since leaving Wolves, Neto has struggled at Chelsea but, a recent tweak to his role has seen the Portugal international show glimpses of what he’s really capable of.
Pedro Neto opens up about differences between Wolves and Chelsea
Chelsea fans aren’t entirely convinced about Neto, who for all of his quality, is not known for his proficiency in front of goal.
Over five years at Molineux, the wide player found the net only 11 times in 111 Premier League appearances, with scoring goals certainly something he needs to improve.
Most recently against Southampton, Neto got his name on the scoresheet for the Blues, netting his third goal of the league season in a contest where he played more centrally.
Speaking to TNT Sports after the game, pundits Lynsey Hipgrave, Rio Ferdinand, Peter Crouch and Joe Cole got the lowdown on how Neto is handling the tweak to his role in West London.
The former Wolves winger was quick to mention his former club, as he described why his move to Chelsea has been so beneficial to him as a developing player.
“I will be honest with you, when I was at Wolves I knew that teams were going to play against us normally with a high block, when I came here, we faced more of a low block in the beginning, teams saw that it was really difficult to press high against us.
“I was adding to my game to play in small spaces to dribble in small spaces as well, I like to play in these small places it’s really important when teams play in a low block,” Neto explained.
The Portugal international identified the difference in space he had playing for Wolves as opposed to Chelsea, which has forced him to strengthen in other areas.
“It was the thing I wanted to bring here because before I used to say that I run a lot in big spaces and it was an interest that I still have but like the small places, the contact with the ball in the box, to be more calm with the ball in the net is one thing that I want to add and I will keep improving on that.”
Wolves haven’t regretted selling Neto
Despite losing a player with immense potential, selling Neto was a triumph for Wolves, who took advantage of the fee Chelsea offered for a player whose future value was not guaranteed.
Enzo Maresca hired a winger who can trouble any Premier League defence on his day but, the Italian is still keeping the former Wolves ace at arm’s length.
This season, Neto has only started 14 league games, averaging 57 minutes per game, with it clear that he must earn his place in what is a bustling Chelsea squad.
Some will be happy for the Old Gold’s former player, while some Wolves fans are frustrated at Neto, who angered Molineux on his return as he celebrated wildly against his ex-club.
The transfer was a win-win for both Wolves and the player, with the Midlands side benefitting financially and Neto benefitting by widening his skillset on the pitch.