Pedro Neto lost his cool when Reece James held him accountable for a mistake during Chelsea's 3-2 victory against Fulham on Monday night.
Reece James of Chelsea reacts during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Fulham and Chelsea FC at Craven Cottage on August 24, 2026 in London, England
Pedro Neto wasn't very happy when Reece James held him accountable for a mistake during Chelsea's win over Fulham on Monday night.(Image: Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
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Pedro Neto appeared to aim a rude gesture at Reece James during Chelsea's win over Fulham. The Blues winger, who replaced Malo Gusto in the final quarter of an hour of Monday night's clash at Craven Cottage, took offence when he received constructive criticism from his captain, leading to a heated exchange on the pitch.
Shortly after Neto had come on, Chelsea had the opportunity to launch a counter-attack and catch the Cottagers outnumbered at the back. Estevao Willian led the charge down the right-hand side, and the Portugal international raced to support his teammate.
After a miscommunication, the attack broke down, and the Blues carelessly conceded possession on the halfway line. Rather than coming short to return the one-two with his teammate and open up the pitch, Neto darted down the touchline, expecting a through ball.
Shea Charles intercepted the pass, and suddenly, Chelsea were caught in transition. Had James, who was deployed in the middle of the park, not dashed over to cover the space left at right-wing back and retrieve possession, Ryan Sessegnon would have spearheaded a three-versus-four assault on the Blues' box.
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After putting out another fire and sparing Neto's blushes, the Chelsea captain leapt to his feet and let his teammates know exactly what he thought about the mix-up. While thrusting his right arm forward, James appeared to bark orders at the duo.
The Portuguese winger protested his innocence as he returned to his position, sparking a heated exchange. While pointing at Neto, the Blues skipper responded with a few words of his own.
Then, the former Wolves ace, whom Chelsea paid £54m for in August 2024, appeared to put a finger to his lips, as if to tell James to be quiet. As Fulham switched the play over the left-hand side of the pitch, the England international had the last word, to which Neto nodded twice rather sarcastically.
Interestingly, the 26-year-old currently faces an uncertain future, and could leave before the transfer window slams shut at 11pm on Tuesday, September 1. football.london understands that Neto has caught the attention of Al-Hilal this summer, as well as a handful of Premier League clubs.
It's said that Chelsea are yet to receive any formal offers for the Portugal international, but they're aware of the interest. Although the Blues are not actively looking to sell Neto, whom they view as an important player, higher-ups at Stamford Bridge are prepared to discuss a potential deal if the price is right.
It's understood that they've priced him at close to £100m, pointing to the inflated market. Real Madrid forked out £120m to sign Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig not too long ago, setting the benchmark high for wide players this summer.
Meanwhile, Liverpool were quoted £145m by Paris Saint-Germain for Bradley Barcola...
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