Pedro Neto’s adaptation period at Chelsea F.C. is long behind him. The Portuguese winger joined the club in the summer of 2024 from Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C., and as the season progressed, he established himself as a high-level right winger, with quick reactions, dribbling, and great pace.
Pedro Neto has taken Noni Madueke’s leave from Chelsea for Arsenal.
In the summer of 2025, he effectively outperformed Noni Madueke at the right winger position, who lost his place because of Pedro Neto and eventually moved to Arsenal F.C.
However, Neto did not only excel on the right wing. Under Enzo Maresca, he was also deployed as a “false nine”—arguably the most effective solution in that role within the squad.
The concept of a false nine involves using a technically gifted, non-traditional striker to drop deeper, link play, and create space, often producing more fluid attacking output than a conventional centre-forward. In Maresca’s system, Neto fulfilled this role with notable effectiveness, even featuring there in key matches, including games against top opposition such as FC Barcelona.
He was the most effective player in that role under Enzo Maresca, who experimented with multiple options in the false nine position. Among all those trials, he proved to be the most complete fit.
He understands how to receive the ball under pressure and efficiently convert attacking situations into goals. His strengths include clean ball control, intelligent positioning, sharp movement, and composed finishing. He combines precise shooting with well-timed runs, allowing him to consistently transform chances into goals.
He is one of the fastest and most explosive wingers in the Premier League.
Following Madueke’s departure and his own experience as a false nine, Neto returned to the right wing and began to make a decisive impact—carrying the ball forward, breaking defensive lines, and creating constant danger through his pace and directness. He is one of the fastest and most explosive wingers in the Premier League.
The core issue, however, is that he does not fully recognise or consistently maximise his own qualities.
Why has this happened?
When he first arrived under Maresca, Neto was less refined and more inconsistent. His strengths—acceleration, dribbling, and the ability to beat defenders—were always evident, but his decision-making and final product were not always aligned. As a result, many of his best actions did not translate into tangible outcomes. There has been a delay in counterattacks when Neto was stopped.
Technically, Neto has all the attributes of a top-level player: elite dribbling, explosive pace, and the ability to break through defensive structures. The problem lies in how he has been shaped by tactical constraints and external expectations at Stamford Bridge under Enzo Maresca from 2024 to 2026.
At times, he appears restricted by rigid instructions from Maresca rather than expressing his natural game.
He was consistently instructed by Enzo Maresca to carry the ball forward, attack defenders, and rely heavily on dribbling—rather than being fully recognised for his overall contribution at Stamford Bridge.
At the same time, Pedro Neto stands out as one of the fastest and most explosive wingers in the Premier League, with the ability to change the tempo of a game in a single action. He is the best winger in the Premier League, I say that! Yes, he is.
Nobody is close to Pedro Neto by pace and running.
So what does Pedro Neto need to change?
He must stop over-relying on constant direction from the bench and take ownership of his game. Neto has the technical capacity to create, shoot, combine, and even operate centrally when required. He should trust his instincts more and play with freedom—within the framework of the system, but without losing his individuality.
He also needs to detach from external pressures—whether from the crowd or tactical over-instruction—and focus on executing his strengths: direct running, dribbling, and decisive attacking actions.
His pace, ball-carrying ability, and shooting power make him a crucial player for Chelsea’s attacking structure. He no longer needs to operate as a product of Maresca’s system—he has already evolved beyond that phase.
In terms of pure winger profile, Neto currently offers more than players like Estêvão Willian, and Alejandro Garnacho cannot yet be placed in the same category based on output and consistency at Chelsea.
Pedro Neto has already proven his value. The next step is purely mental—to fully embrace his identity as a top-level footballer and perform with confidence and autonomy.
He does not need constant instruction; he needs to play freely, combining naturally with Cole Palmer and João Pedro. He is already operating at that level. He needs to start playing, combining and leaving previous tactics and past game plans.
He has football in his feet.
He should leave the lines of Maresca for 2024 and 2025 and play football as he knows. Pedro Neto is world-class.
Neto is elite—he simply needs to recognise it and express it consistently on the pitch. He needs to play; he is at the level of Cucurella, Cáicedo, Cole Palmer, and Joao Pedro.
He should shout when he wants, and then come into positions where he cannot be stopped. Because he is the best winger in the world for a long time now,
S.Šijaković
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