€120m star confirms Chelsea transfer stance
Pedro Neto has reaffirmed his commitment to Chelsea by insisting that he has no interest in moving to Saudi Arabia, despite rumoured interest from the Middle East.
The Portugal forward was heavily linked with a Stamford Bridge exit over the summer, with the Blues reportedly open to a sale following the signing of his compatriot Geovany Quenda from Sporting CP.
However, the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City, in addition to clubs in the Saudi Pro League, were unwilling to match Chelsea’s €120 million (£100m) asking price, and Neto has since established himself as a vital player under new manager Xabi Alonso.
Neto has been included in the starting XI in nine of Chelsea’s 10 Premier League matches so far this season, scoring three goals, and he is a key factor behind Estevao Willian’s lack of game time this term.
The 26-year-old has cemented his place as crucial cog in Chelsea’s team over the past few weeks, and despite transfer speculation throughout the summer, he was rewarded with a lucrative new contract in September, valid until 2032.
Pedro Neto confirms Chelsea transfer stance
When asked if he would be attracted by a big-money offer from Saudi Arabia during an interview with O Jogo while on international duty, Neto admitted: “I’m attracted to Chelsea. My head is only here.
“The club has shown me affection, given me everything, and I’m very grateful for that. I don’t think about other scenarios.”
The Chelsea winger subsequently heaped praise on Alonso, despite growing dissatisfaction by the Blues’ inconsistency so far this season.
“He tries to pass on a lot of what he was as a player and, as we know, he was an elite player. He has very clear ideas and tactically the team has improved a lot under him,” Neto said.
“Then there’s his experience, everything he went through at the clubs he played for and everything he won. He brought that winning mentality to the club, that desire to win trophies. And that’s something the players have definitely bought into.
“The players want trophies, they’re hungry for victories and he’s brought that to the team. He’s used to winning.”
Neto continued: “The main objective will be to win the Premier League, although it won’t be easy. Every match is very difficult, it’s a very competitive league.
“You can only really understand whether you have a chance of getting there towards the end of the competition.
“At the beginning, until January, you can be in first place, as happened to us two years ago, and then end up finishing fourth. In the Premier League, I like to take it game by game.”
