Chelsea made two of the biggest attacking acquisitions in the Premier League this summer, signing Pedro Neto from Wolves and then Joao Felix from Atletico Madrid in two splash moves that few saw coming – especially the Felix reunion.
Neto and Felix join an attack that includes Brazilian phenom Estevao Willian, also signed this summer, as well as 2023 signings Nicolas Jackson, Christopher Nkunku, and main man Cole Palmer.
After predictably falling 2-0 to defending champions Manchester City last weekend, Chelsea fans are curious to see if their new attacking stars will be able to give them a boost this weekend against Neto’s former employers, Wolves – often a tricky fixture for big clubs.
As Ben Jacobs relays, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca revealed the statuses of Pedro Neto and Joao Felix ahead of the Matchday 2 clash with Wolves, stating that Neto doesn’t appear to be ready for action but that despite some concerns, Felix should be able to get some minutes in:
“Pedro, last played 90 minutes in February. Playing 65 or 60 minutes [against Servette], to give him another game on Sunday is probably too early but we’ll see. In terms of knowing the way we want to play, Joao is probably not there yet. In terms of physicality, I think he is ready. But overall I think he can play.”
Pedro Neto is coming off a significant injury while at Wolves, and both he and Joao Felix have been branded as players who are fragile and prone to injury. Therefore, Maresca and Chelsea must be careful with these investments.
Chelsea paid out a combined 112 million euros to sign both Neto and Felix this summer. Neto was one of the best right wingers in the Premier League last season and a true breakout star for Wolves, while Felix, on paper, is one of the most talented players in the world.
It will be exciting to see Felix make his return to Chelsea and how he gels with new faces like Nkunku and Palmer under a new coach in Maresca. Meanwhile, Neto could be the real game-changer for the Blues, but he should only be out there if he is fully ready. The cautious approach is the best one.
