Neto Transfer News: Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester City enter race for in-demand Chelsea star

The list of clubs circling Pedro Neto continues to grow – and a trio of Premier League giants have reportedly entered the race for his signature.

Chelsea’s No.7 is a man in demand, amid rumours the Blues will sanction a sale if their £100 million asking price is met.

That has piqued the interest of England’s top teams, with Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester City all monitoring the 26-year-old’s situation at Stamford Bridge.

Liverpool are believed to be keeping tabs on Neto, too, while a switch to Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Hilal could also be on the cards.

With so many possible destinations, we’ve put the Portuguese star’s options under the spotlight to see where he could end up this summer…

Arsenal attention

Arsenal have raised expectations of a marquee addition this transfer window, after coming close to signing Brazil international Vinícius Júnior from Real Madrid.

Vinícius ultimately decided to remain at the Bernabéu, but the audacious approach reflected Arsenal’s lofty ambitions in the market.

Neto wouldn’t quite provide the Gunners’ faithful with the same ‘wow factor’, though his positional versatility could make him a useful option for Mikel Arteta.

The Viana do Castelo native can operate on either flank, playing 969 Premier League minutes on the left and 1,818 on the right in 2025/26.

He could therefore be deployed as a starting left-winger ahead of Christos Tzolis and Gabriel Martinelli, or a rotation option when right-sided Bukayo Saka is either injured or in need of a rest.

Though Neto hasn’t necessarily hit the heights expected of him at Chelsea, he has alleviated concerns over his fitness record – playing 51 and 52 games in all competitions across the last two seasons, respectively.

That newfound resilience may prompt Arsenal to launch a mammoth nine-figure bid, if they feel he can reach new levels away from the somewhat volatile surroundings of Stamford Bridge.

Tottenham transfer?

Arsenal aren’t the only North London side showing interest in Neto, with Tottenham reportedly keen to make him part of their seismic squad rebuild.

Spurs have already spent over £228 million this summer, bringing Sandro Tonali (Newcastle United), Mateus Fernandes (West Ham United), Jan Paul van Hecke (Brighton), Marcos Senesi (Bournemouth), Andrew Robertson (Liverpool) and Martin Dúbravka (Burnley) to N17.

That should help to resolve their clear defensive deficiencies last term, but Roberto De Zerbi’s charges are yet to significantly improve their attacking options.

Tottenham need to add goals and creativity to a team that scored just 48 times in the top flight – and Neto’s record suggests he could offer a solution to those problems.

After all, the former Wolves man reached double figures in all competitions for both goals and assists, registering ten of each in 2025/26.

Eleven of those came in the Premier League, with a total of six assists placing him ninth in the division for that metric.

If Spurs are looking for end product, they could do a lot worse than adding Neto to their ranks.

Manchester move?

Nobody will be more aware of Neto’s qualities than Enzo Maresca, who managed him while in charge of Chelsea from mid-2024 to early 2026.

So it would be no surprise if Manchester City’s new boss is keen on a reunion with his former player, having witnessed his abilities up close at Stamford Bridge.

And the Citizens’ limp display in their 3-0 Community Shield defeat to Arsenal on Sunday suggests they could do with the attacking spark that Neto offers.

The 30-cap international was constantly looking to beat opposition defenders last season, attempting the tenth-most take-ons in the Premier League (104).

That usually resulted in him getting a cross away, too, with only three players (Pedro Porro, James Garner and Dominik Szoboszlai) delivering more balls than his 187.

With the Al-Qadsiah-bound Tijjani Reijnders and recently-departed Rodri likely to raise combined £117 million, there is almost certainly money available for City to improve in attacking areas.

Maresca’s familiarity with Neto – and the winger’s performances under his tutelage – suggests he could be keen to spend it on Chelsea’s in-demand star.

Merseyside or the Middle East?

Liverpool’s need for a winger is well documented – and Neto’s availability could make him a straightforward solution to the Reds’ requirements on the right flank.

But Andoni Iraola’s side appear to be prioritising Paris Saint-Germain duo Ibrahim Mbaye and Bradley Barcola, with the latter valued at around £145million.

He would represent better value than the Chelsea forward, with Barcola able to offer years of service and remain a sellable asset at just 23 years old.

And this highlights a major stumbling block when it comes to the Blues’ potential sale of Neto – £100 million is a remarkably high asking price for a player who is 26 and hasn’t always set the world alight at Stamford Bridge.

It is a figure that Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester City and Liverpool might all baulk at, raising the possibility that Saudi Arabia could represent a more likely destination.

There has certainly been interest from Al-Hilal, who appear to have the resources at their disposal to launch such a colossal bid.

The Saudi Pro League team are also likely to offer a highly-appealing salary package, though it remains to be seen if Neto is willing to step away from elite European football before he reaches the twilight of his career.

If the wide man decides against a switch of continents then Chelsea may have to significantly lower their demands to tempt a fellow Premier League club into making an approach.