Chelsea are demanding a whopping £150m for their prized winger Pedro Neto, who has caught the attention of Liverpool and Manchester City.
According to reports, Chelsea are aware of interest from several top clubs, including Liverpool and Manchester City, but are not actively pushing Neto towards the exit. The Blues are, however, well aware of the current market conditions and are "not surprised" by the interest in their prized asset.
The value of elite wide players has skyrocketed in recent years, with RB Leipzig's Yan Diomande and Paris Saint-Germain's Bradley Barcola reportedly viewed as "£100million-plus players" by their clubs. Chelsea's stance is clear: they "would not allow their winger to leave on the cheap".
This stance is likely to put off any clubs looking to secure Neto's services on the cheap. The 24-year-old Portugal international has already caught the eye of Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca, who "favoured Neto as his right winger while in charge at Stamford Bridge".
The Enzo Maresca connection adds an interesting dynamic to the transfer saga, with Manchester City now looking to re-sign a player they know and trust. Liverpool's interest is also mentioned, but it remains to be seen how serious they are about pursuing Neto.
For now, Neto is absent from Chelsea's tour in Australia as he continues his break after Portugal duty at the World Cup. The winger's future is likely to be a topic of discussion in the coming weeks, but for now, it seems Chelsea are in a strong position to dictate the terms of any potential transfer.
As Chelsea fans, the thought of losing a proven international winger is a worrying one. Neto has already shown his quality on the pitch, and replacing him with a similar player would be a significant challenge. The question remains, will Chelsea be willing to part with their prized asset for a fee that reflects his true value?
Source: Yahoo Sports
