Chelsea may have stunned Barcelona with a dominant 3-0 Champions League victory, but it was a quieter performer who caught the eye of the Spanish giants.
Pedro Neto, rated just 6/10 by Goal for his midweek outing, has surprisingly emerged as a player Barcelona are monitoring closely.
The winger wasn’t among Chelsea’s standouts—Willian Estevao and Marc Cucurella stole the show at Stamford Bridge—but Neto’s overall season seems to have outweighed one muted performance.
Goal noted that the Portuguese star was “less effective on the ball” but still made several dangerous runs behind Barcelona’s backline.
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He missed a big chance in the first half and another in the second, yet his movement remained a constant threat.
Chelsea signed Neto from Wolves for £51 million in 2024, and he has looked increasingly worth the investment this campaign.
Barcelona interest grows despite Chelsea’s stance
Neto has scored four goals across all competitions this season, including back-to-back Premier League strikes against Wolves and Burnley. His form has made him one of Enzo Maresca’s most reliable outlets.
Maresca recently praised the winger, describing him as “top, very humble and working hard,” and stressing the need for him to stay at peak sharpness to thrive in the Premier League.
Barcelona’s interest was reported by Football Insider, but Chelsea are said to have “no plans” to let him leave anytime soon, reports London World.
Neto remains under contract until 2031, and insiders insist it would take an enormous offer just to bring Chelsea to the negotiating table.
For now, the Blues view him as an essential part of their long-term project.
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