Chelsea winger Pedro Neto has agreed personal terms with Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal, according to Sky Switzerland, after holding talks with Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham. The 26-year-old Portugal international, who has made over 100 appearances for the Blues since his £54m move from Wolves, is poised to leave Stamford Bridge this summer.
Premier League interest and Chelsea's spending spree
Neto has been a mainstay in the Chelsea team over the last two seasons but has been linked with a move away after the club brought in more than ten new signings this summer. Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham all expressed interest in signing the winger, who indicated he was open to a summer move.
New City boss Enzo Maresca, who worked with Neto at Chelsea, was keen to reunite with his former player at the Etihad Stadium after replacing Pep Guardiola. Arsenal, the Premier League champions, also set their sights on Neto after missing out on Real Madrid and Brazil star Vinicius Junior. Tottenham admired Neto and hoped to sign him from their London rivals as part of a big-spending summer.
Al Hilal deal and transfer fee
Despite the Premier League interest, Neto is closing in on a move to Saudi Arabia. Al Hilal are reportedly prepared to pay Chelsea around 60 million euros (£51m) to secure his signature. Earlier in the summer, Chelsea reportedly wanted £70m for Neto, but a fee of just over £50m would see them almost recoup the money they spent to sign him from Wolves in 2024.
Neto's departure comes as Chelsea prepare for the new season under former Liverpool and Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso. The Blues finished 10th in the Premier League last season and failed to qualify for European competition, but they are expected to improve under Alonso.
Pre-season finale and upcoming opener
Chelsea beat Real Sociedad 3-1 in their final pre-season friendly on Saturday, ahead of their Premier League opener against Fulham next weekend. Alonso commented on the match: 'It was a very good last preparation game. For some players it was the first one and the last one. For us, there were some good things, some things we can improve. It's normal at this moment for some players.'
He added: 'It was great to have all the team together. Some of them after three days could play for 60 minutes. It was the last test. Now we have a whole week to prepare for Fulham, but it was a good feeling in the stadium.'
The transfer, if completed, would mark a significant move for Neto, who joined Chelsea from Wolves in 2024. With Al Hilal's offer nearly matching Chelsea's outlay, the deal could be finalized in the coming days as the Saudi side looks to bolster its squad.
