‘That deal shocked me’ – Paul Merson thinks Arsenal missed a trick allowing Chelsea to sign ‘incredible’ player



Paul Merson believes Arsenal missed a trick when they did not sign Pedro Neto earlier this summer.

The Portugal international recently completed a lucrative move from Wolves to the Gunners’ fierce London rivals Chelsea, who have embarked on yet another summer of heavy spending.

Neto — whose fee is understood to be in the region of £54m (per BBC Sport) — arrives having posted three goals and 11 assists in 24 appearances across all competitions last season, despite being massively disrupted by multiple hamstring injuries.

The 24-year-old joins the likes of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Filip Jorgensen and Tosin Adarabioyo through the Stamford Bridge door in a busy window for the Blues.

Paul Merson ‘shocked’ by Pedro Neto transfer

Chelsea’s new signing Portuguese midfielder Pedro Neto waves to the fans at half-time, in the pre-season friendly football match between Chelsea and Inter Milan at the Stamford Bridge stadium in London on August 11, 2024. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP)

Merson has backed Neto to be an ‘incredible signing’ for Chelsea, but has lamented the fact that his former club, Arsenal, didn’t make a move for him earlier in the summer to help their existing star forwards Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.

“Someone else who I think can do really well is Pedro Neto at Chelsea,” Merson told Sky Sports.

“At the start of the summer, I thought he’d be a great signing for Arsenal. He suits them down to the ground and is a player that could have taken the load off Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.

“So, that deal shocked me. If Chelsea can keep him fit, I think it is an incredible signing.”