Chelsea Star Will ‘Assess His Situation Again In January’ Amid Man City And Liverpool Interest
Man City could get a second chance to sign Chelsea winger Pedro Neto in the New Year, according to reports.
The Portuguese international never actively sought to leave Stamford Bridge during the summer transfer window, but TEAMtalk claim he will “assess his situation again in January” if he doesn’t feature prominently in the first half of the season.
It is believed that both City and Liverpool showed interest in Neto to a greater or lesser extent.
Journalist Fabrizio Romano reported that Enzo Maresca’s side made contact with the forward’s agent, but no official bid was lodged.
Neto’s asking price scared off suitors
Some outlets, with sources at Chelsea, suggested that the Blues were demanding £100m for the 26-year-old – a figure that no team would have been willing to pay.
With Neto not pushing to leave, the London club never made the player available for transfer, unlike others in Xabi Alonso’s squad, so their valuation reflected the fact that they would only consider a potential sale if clubs were prepared to pay over the odds for him.
The Man City target could still move to the Middle East
Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal were reportedly one of the teams pursuing Neto last month, but they have just announced the arrival of Gabriel Martinelli from Arsenal, so they are not expected to maintain their interest in the player.
However, that may not stop other teams from the Middle Eastern country making offers. Their transfer deadline is October 12th, so they can still table bids for the best part of a month.
For his part, Neto may only be open to a departure if his game time decreases. He started and scored during Chelsea’s 4-3 win over Brighton last weekend, so if he continues to get minutes, you can’t see a move happening.