Wolverhampton Wanderers may not have signed anyone on deadline day, yet the key thing for Gary O’Neil was to not lose any more of his talented squad to bigger teams.
The Old Gold had sold Matheus Nunes to Manchester City during the summer transfer window, along with moving on Nathan Collins and Ruben Neves to Brentford and Al-Hilal respectively.
This has not dented their ambitions, however, with the club currently occupying tenth spot in the Premier League table and poised to challenge for a solid top-half finish come the end of the season.
Can O’Neil keep the vultures at bay this summer, however? Indeed, he will have to be sary as some of his team are attracting attention due to their excellent performances throughout the 2023/24 campaign thus far.
Pedro Neto is one name who may move on to bigger and better things sooner rather than later. The question is, how much can the Molineux outfit rake in for him when he eventually does depart the Midlands?
The teams who want to sign Pedro Neto
The Portuguese winger joined the club in 2019 from Lazio and was earmarked as a future talent who could shine in the English top flight.
Over the next three seasons, Neto scored 11 goals and registered 12 assists as he became a key member of the squad under both Nuno Espírito Santo and Bruno Lage and his form even saw him gain national recognition from Portugal.
An injury ruled him out of large chunks of the 2022/23 campaign – ensuring he missed out on Portugal’s 2022 World Cup squad – and while he returned before the end of the term, the youngster took some time to return to full fitness.
According to Football Transfers, both Arsenal and Manchester City are fighting to secure his signature and the lure of Champions League football may be too hard to turn down.
With a contract that does not expire until 2027, the Old Gold are in a favourable position and this means they will be able to secure the best possible fee for one of their prized assets.
With the season he has enjoyed, O’Neil could be set to rake in a stunning profit for the club this summer should he be sold.
Pedro Neto’s season in numbers
The 23-year-old worked on his fitness during pre-season and between August and October, he scored once and grabbed seven assists, showing an impressive return to form in the top flight.
A hamstring injury ruled him out for eight games, but since returning, he has netted another two goals and chipped in with three assists.
Indeed, he ranks third across the squad for goals and assists in the top flight (ten), along with ranking second for big chances created (six), first for key passes per game (2.3) and second for successful dribbles per game (1.9), clearly indicating how big an influence he is having on the squad.
Goals
0
2
Assists
0
8
Key passes per game
1.2
2.3
Big chances created
4
6
Successful dribbles per game
1
1.9
Should he finally leave the Midlands in the summer, will O’Neil turn to the transfer market to sign a replacement? Or can he delve into the academy and give more opportunities to a talented right-winger who is thriving; Tyler Roberts?
Pedro Neto has a replacement in the academy
20-year-old right-winger, Roberts, has yet to make his senior bow for Wolves but has made an impression during spells in the U18 and U21 teams over the previous few years.
Roberts – who can operate on either wing or as a centre-forward – netted 16 goals in just 37 matches for the younger age group, and while the jump to the U21 side has proven to be more challenging, netting five times in 30 games, there is no doubting his talent.
The youngster signed a new long-term deal last April to remain with the Midlands outfit until the summer of 2025 at least and his abilities were praised by Academy manager for football, Jon Hunter-Barrett, who was delighted to see him sign a new contract.
“We’re really excited to see Tyler sign his extension with Wolves. He’s an exciting player who gets people off their seats, so he’s certainly one we wanted to ensure has a future at Wolves.
“He brings energy, enthusiasm and drive to football which is what excites everyone about him. People will go to his pace and technique, but Tyler also has an excellent mentality to want to learn and want to improve. He’s very coachable and he wants to take information.”
The winger had even made his international debut for Jamacia once he turned professional at the Old Gold and O’Neil sent him on loan to Doncaster Rovers for the first half of the 2023/24 campaign.
15 appearances in all competitions for the League Two side indicated that senior football was a much bigger challenge than performing in the Premier League 2, yet he did exude glimpses of his talents across a few games.
Indeed, he may only have started two matches in the fourth tier for Doncaster, yet he still averaged 0.8 successful dribbles per game along with creating one big chance and taking 0.5 shots per game, indicating that he certainly has the desire to create chances.
During an EFL Cup match against Hull City in August, Roberts showcased his talents on the wing as he took 50 touches, made one key pass, won eight of his 14 ground duels, and was fouled four times, proving to be a nightmare for the opposition defence to keep quiet.
He may not have scored during his spell in League Two, yet the experience could prove vital in the coming years, especially if O’Neil is ready to give him his senior debut before the end of the season.
With Neto continuing to be linked with a move away from Wolves, the right wing slot could be vacant for someone to come in and snatch it with intent.
Roberts may not quite be at that level yet, but with some more development in the U21 side along with the odd opportunity for the senior team in the next few months, he could be an ideal long-term candidate for the role.