Pedro Neto to Liverpool: Chelsea’s Response

Pedro Neto to Liverpool? Why this summer rumour refuses to go away

Pedro Neto to Liverpool: Replacing Mohamed Salah was always going to be a nightmare. Nine years, 257 goals, and 123 assists don’t just vanish from a team sheet without leaving a massive, gaping crater. But with the Egyptian king now gone from Anfield, Fenway Sports Group have to find an answer. Fast. The rumour mill is spinning, and this time it has spat out a rather intriguing name: Chelsea’s Pedro Neto.

According to reports from Turkish journalist Ekrem Konur and Spanish outlet El Nacional, Liverpool have the 26-year-old Portuguese winger squarely in their sights. Konur was quite blunt about it on social media, making it clear that Neto sits prominently on the Reds’ shortlist.

There is a massive problem, though. Chelsea are not prioritising a sale. They don’t want to look like a feeder club to a direct Premier League rival, which means any potential negotiation will be expensive, difficult, and incredibly drawn out.

Liverpool’s hierarchy has already cast a wide net this summer. Primary targets like Yan Diomande and Bradley Barcola have either moved elsewhere or seen talks stall entirely. It makes sense, then, that the recruitment team is looking at alternatives that bring something a bit different to Andoni Iraola’s setup.

The numbers behind the noise

Let’s look at what Neto actually did last season. Across 34 Premier League appearances for Chelsea, he racked up 2,643 minutes, scoring five goals and creating six assists. Safe. Solid. A 7.04 average FotMob rating tells a story of consistency, but it’s the underlying data that gets the nerds excited. Neto is an absolute elite crosser of the ball.

His metrics put him in the 93rd percentile for cross value added and the 95th percentile for cross expected threat. Journalist Dave Davis flagged these exact figures on The Transfer Show when breaking down the Anfield links. The lad also ranks inside the top 25 in the entire league for overall Expected Threat generated. He creates chaos in wide areas.

But he didn’t come cheap. Chelsea splashed £51.4m up front, plus £2.6m in add-ons, to sign him from Wolves back in August 2024. He signed a massive seven-year contract that ties him to Stamford Bridge until 2031. Right now, Transfermarkt values him at around €60m. Chelsea hold all the cards here. With five years left on his deal, the London club can demand an absolute premium, and they probably will.

Jorge Mendes is Neto’s agent. That is one small sliver of hope for Liverpool, as Mendes reportedly maintains an open, ongoing dialogue with the Anfield board. But Mendes working the phones is one thing; getting Chelsea to sanction a deal is a different beast entirely.

Why do Liverpool want him? Immediate Premier League adaptability. No bedding-in period needed. He has a sensational pace, runs directly at defenders, and plays comfortably on either flank. Iraola could throw him straight into the XI. Reports from Indy Kaila and Dave Davis suggest Neto himself would absolutely fancy the move. He nearly ended up at Anfield during his Wolves days, so the interest isn’t some sudden panic buy.

Read: 3 reasons Liverpool should not sign Bradley Barcola

Let’s be completely honest, though. Five league goals from a right winger isn’t elite. It isn’t Salah. Whether the recruitment team believes Neto can explode into a 20-goal-a-season forward under Iraola is the gamble FSG have to consider.