[Chelsea](https://chelseanews.com/) were unable to prevail against Premier League leaders Arsenal in another derby slugfest on Sunday, and they were once again destroyed by a foolish red card, with Pedro Neto earning walking papers in the match to doom the Gunners and remind Chelsea fans that his future at Stamford Bridge is equally bleak.
When Neto arrived to Chelsea in 2024, he did so as one of the most dynamic right wingers in the Premier League, recording nine assists in the previous season as the clear star player for Wolves and one of the best creative wide midfielders in the Premier League.
Although Neto had some bright moments for Chelsea, the 2025/26 season has clearly exposed to Blues fans that he is not at the level required to start as a winger for a team with Premier League title aspirations.
Estevao Willian will have the right wing locked down, Joao Pedro is an adequate striker despite his inconsistent goal scoring streak, and there are no questions about Cole Palmer despite a quieter 2025/26 season.
But the left wing position has become a jarring position of need that must be addressed this summer transfer window. Against Arsenal, Neto drew the start on the left wing again and was poor. He created a couple of chances but failed to progress the ball, win one-on-ones against Jurrien Timber, or help the defense out.
It was yet another disastrous outing in a big game, and Neto literally does not have an average player rating by WhoScored or other analytic sites in any of his Big Six encounters this season – not even against relegation candidates Tottenham Hotspur.
Neto’s inability to be effective or even remotely average in big games has doomed his future at Chelsea. The Blues already have multiple superior options with the left foot on the right wing, and since Neto no longer creates or beats defenders like he did at Wolves, his big game ineptitude is an indictment of any value he brings to Chelsea.
It is time for Chelsea to get rid of an unreliable player the fans are growing tired of. Neto is redundant to the point of being a liability, and as Chelsea look for a goal scoring left winger, Neto is an easy sale to make this summer.
Joe Soriano is the editor of _The Trivela Effect_ and a FanSided Hall of Famer who has covered world football since 2010. He’s led top digital communities like _The Real Champs_ (Real Madrid) and has run sites covering Tottenham, Liverpool, Juventus, and Schalke. He also helped manage _NFL Spin Zone_ and _Daily DDT,_ covering the NFL and pro wrestling.