Chelsea winger sprinting with ball on Stamford Bridge pitch under dramatic stadium lighting

Maresca’s Personal Interest in Neto Raises the Stakes for Chelsea

By Danny Forde - 5th Aug 2026, 05:00pm

Manchester City have made direct contact with Pedro Neto’s camp, according to a Fabrizio Romano exclusive – and while Chelsea are standing firm on their valuation, the fact that Enzo Maresca is now personally involved in recruiting his former winger makes this one we need to take seriously. The Blues will not sell cheaply, but a protracted saga with a domestic rival bidding for one of our best attackers is not where we want to be heading into a new season.

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Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Manchester City have made direct contact with Pedro Neto’s representatives as Maresca looks to strengthen his attacking options at the Etihad. The Daily Mail have also reported that Chelsea have informed both City and Liverpool that Neto will not be leaving Stamford Bridge on the cheap – with the Blues actively monitoring the valuations of elite wingers across Europe before setting their final demands.

Chelsea’s valuation strategy – and why the winger market is working in our favour

Frankly, Chelsea’s approach here is the right one. Rather than rushing to set a number, the club are watching what Bradley Barcola and Yan Diomande are fetching before anchoring their demands. PSG are reportedly seeking €90m for Barcola after he refused to sign a new contract. Real Madrid had a bid of €90m plus €10m in add-ons knocked back for Diomande, with City also circling that situation. These are the benchmarks Chelsea are using – and they should be.

Neto is 26, established at Premier League level, and capable of being a genuine game-changer when fit. The frothy winger market this summer is genuinely working in our favour here, giving the club every justification to hold out for a significant fee rather than caving to the first serious approach. Saudi Pro League interest adds further leverage – Chelsea can credibly point to multiple suitors and refuse to be rushed.

Maresca knows Neto – and that makes City’s interest the most dangerous kind

The Maresca factor is what elevates this beyond routine transfer noise. This is not a manager scouting someone he has only watched on film – Maresca built his Chelsea system around Neto as his primary right winger and knows exactly what he is getting. That personal connection matters in how Neto might weigh up a potential move, even if the player is not currently pushing for an exit.

Neto is currently not part of the Chelsea squad on their pre-season tour in Sydney, having been granted additional rest following Portugal’s World Cup campaign – so there is no immediate pressure point. But the question of whether he sees his long-term future at a club without Champions League football is a real one, and City can offer that. As we covered when Chelsea’s winger situation came into sharper focus earlier this summer, the wide positions are an area that needs careful management under the new regime.

Liverpool are also firmly in the picture according to the Daily Mail, meaning Chelsea are potentially fending off two of the strongest clubs in the country simultaneously. That is a test of nerve as much as it is a commercial negotiation.

What happens next – and what Chelsea must do

The next real trigger is whether City move for Savinho. Romano’s reporting makes clear that Neto sits on City’s list primarily as a consequence of that exit – if Savinho stays, City’s urgency on Neto drops significantly. Chelsea should be tracking that subplot closely and using the uncertainty to buy time and drive interest from other quarters.

Chelsea hold a strong hand here: Neto is under contract, the market is inflated, and there is genuine multi-club demand. The danger is letting this drag into August when the leverage shifts and the club starts feeling pressure to move assets. Hold the valuation, let City and Liverpool outbid each other, and only sell if the number makes the decision straightforward. Anything below a premium fee for a winger of his quality and age would be a misstep – and we cannot afford another one of those.