Arsenal plot game-changing Chelsea raid worth £100m – report

Arsenal and Manchester City are showing interest in Chelsea star Pedro Neto ahead of the transfer window reopening in January, a report has claimed.

Neto joined Chelsea in August 2024 when the Blues paid Wolverhampton Wanderers £54million for his services. Since then, the right winger has managed 20 goals and 19 assists in 106 appearances for Chelsea, helping them win the Europa Conference League and Club World Cup two seasons ago.

Neto is now being used as a right wing-back by new manager Xabi Alonso, and he has started the season well. The Portuguese got on the scoresheet as Chelsea beat Brighton 4-3 last weekend.

Neto was the subject of interest from Arsenal, Liverpool, City, Tottenham Hotspur and Al-Hilal in the summer.

Tottenham made him a backup winger target, though they ultimately snared their first choice, Savio. Liverpool, meanwhile, briefly took a look at Neto amid their hunt for Mohamed Salah’s replacement on the right wing.

According to CaughtOffside, Arsenal, City and Al-Hilal are now the clubs showing the strongest interest in Neto in the build up to the January window.

READ: Arsenal secure four players for £14.53m as future Liverpool transfers include £6m trio

The trio are ‘keeping tabs’ on Neto’s situation, while intermediaries working on behalf of those clubs have also made ‘inquiries’ about him in recent weeks.

The report tips Arsenal, City and Al-Hilal to ‘re-establish official contact with Chelsea’s board during the winter transfer window’.

CO add: ‘Mikel Arteta’s side is seeking a dynamic, Premier League-proven game-changer to ease the workload on Bukayo Saka… in their wing rotation.

‘Manchester City is looking to increase frontline width and 1v1 execution down the flanks; Enzo Maresca’s side appreciates Neto’s explosive power in transition play and his tactical discipline.’

Chelsea chiefs see the 26-year-old as a ‘valuable asset’ for Alonso’s project, but, at the same time, they ‘remain prepared to consider incoming proposals’.

Arsenal, Man City target could cost £100m

Reports on Neto’s price tag differ significantly. CO claim Chelsea value him at €70-80m (£60-69m), whereas our friends at TEAMtalk have revealed the Blues actually want £100m before selling.

TEAMtalk reported earlier this week that Neto was not pushing to leave Stamford Bridge during the summer, despite widespread interest in his services.

Maresca appears eager to reunite with Neto at the Etihad, having already helped City to sign Enzo Fernandez for a whopping £125m.

There could be room in City’s squad for Neto after they sold fellow right winger Savio to Tottenham for £75m plus £10m in add-ons. Were such a move to happen, then Neto would compete with Antoine Semenyo for game time on the right flank.

Arsenal, though, already have Saka and Noni Madueke as right wingers in their setup.

Gunners fans would rather see the club sign a specialist left winger than splash up to £100m on Neto.

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