Pedro Neto joined Chelsea in the latest summer transfer window, signing for a reported fee of £51.3million from Wolverhampton Wonderers. The move seemingly came from nowhere and added significant fire power to Chelsea’s wide options. The Portuguese had shown signs of brilliance during his time in the Premier League previously, but had struggled with injuries and consistency. A move to a bigger club like Chelsea was seen as the natural next step in his career, but the move has flattered to deceive so far.

Consistently Inconsistent

So far this season, Neto has been one of Enzo Maresca’s primary picks on either wing, notching up 17 appearances in the Premier League so far. Given the amount of money invested in his services, it is not surprising that he would be more than just a squad player. However, his accumulated minutes so far are much more impressive when considering his competition in the wide areas: Noni Madueke, Jadon Sancho, João Félix and until recently, Mykhailo Mudryk. All very capable players and ensure that any drop offs of form will see you relegated to the bench pretty quickly – just ask Madueke.

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Despite his numerous appearances, Neto has only notched up one goal and two assists in the league so far – with his yellow card tally eclipsing both of these attacking stats combined, with six. These numbers are hardly inspiring considering the total number of goals Chelsea have scored in the league so far (39). Neto’s contributions, at least in terms of pure stats, have been minimal.

However, somewhat surprisingly, there have been very few pundits or fans calling for Neto to be dropped or questioning his move to Stamford Bridge. For whatever reason, the 24-year-old has seemingly escaped much criticism for his performances so far. Compared to his fellow wingers, the likes of Sancho and Mudryk, Neto’s performances tend to go under the radar, despite his glaring inconsistencies.

The Portuguese Requires Patience

All this being said, it is important to remember that it is still very early in Neto’s Chelsea career. As per the majority of his career, he has struggled with some minor injuries throughout the first half of the season, which have hampered his momentum. He has also rotated in and out of the first team throughout the season – with only eight of his appearances being a starting role.

The talent Neto has is unquestionable, and his fleeting contributions have been key in their respective games. The equaliser at home to Arsenal with an emphatic strike from outside of the area, alongside a stunning assist to set up Nicolas Jackson in the 2-1 home win over Newcastle United. If Neto could improve his consistency and continue providing key contributions in the major games, his place in the side would no longer be questioned.

With only half a season gone so far, it may be too early judge Neto completely and it remains to be seen what his contributions in the second half of the Premier League season will look like, alongside any appearances in Europe as the Blues head towards the UEFA Conference League title. But should the Portuguese be unable to improve on his early season stats, his £50million plus price tag will be looking more and more debatable.

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