Liverpool are set to rival Newcastle United for the signature of Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Pedro Neto in the summer, according to Spanish publication Fichajes.
The Reds have been linked with a move for the 24-year-old Portuguese winger for quite some time now. Fichajes adds that via Daily Mail reports, the Magpies have also been credited with a lot of interest in Neto.
At 24, Neto is still young but has quite a lot of experience in the Premier League. He has been having one of his best seasons yet in Gary O’Neil’s team and has been instrumental in Wolves’ successes this campaign. In 23 games across all competitions, he has scored three times and assisted 11 more for his team mates.
The Portuguese forward has already made 134 appearances for the English club in his career. It is about time he got a transfer to one of the big clubs in the league and both Liverpool and Newcastle United are incredible options to choose from.
Transfermarkt values Neto at around £36m but it remains to be seen how much Wolves would demand for his signature.
The Mohamed Salah replacement?
Neto is very versatile with regard to his position on a football field. Although predominantly a right winger, the 24-year-old is equally comfortable on the opposite flank as well as in attacking midfield.
Inevitably, when Liverpool are looking at a right winger, the question arises. Does Pedro Neto have what it takes to fill Mohamed Salah’s shoes in the long run? Going by sheer talent, it’s safe to say that the chances are high and Liverpool would do very well to sign him. Even if he were to be an understudy to the Egyptian superstar for a year or two, it would do him the world of good.
One thing that the Reds need to sort out first is the managerial position though. Jurgen Klopp is leaving Anfield at the end of the season and as much as one can speculate about transfers, the decision on new signings should be left to the discretion of the new manager.
If whoever comes in is going to use a similar system to that of Klopp, then Neto would fit in seamlessly. However, if the new coach opts for a system change, then the Portuguese forward might not necessarily fit into this.
Until Liverpool decide and appoint who our next manager is going to be, it is highly unlikely that they make a move for any of their transfer targets. This could hand the advantage to Newcastle United to have a free run at Neto. Unfortunately, we don’t have a choice and all we can do is wait for the summer and see how this pans out.
