Arsenal had been monitoring Pedro Neto for several years but ultimately allowed Chelsea, their London rivals, a clear path to sign the Wolves forward due to concerns held by Mikel Arteta, as reported.
Chelsea continued their remarkable spending spree by securing Neto in a £54m deal from Wolves last week.
Neto, who agreed to a seven-year contract at Stamford Bridge, was introduced to the fans over the weekend during a pre-season match against Inter Milan.
The 24-year-old spent five seasons with Wolves, where he consistently impressed and became one of the club’s key players, despite some injury setbacks.
Neto had been a long-term target for Arsenal, so it was somewhat surprising that Chelsea quickly finalized his signing without much competition.
While Arsenal’s owners are eager to strengthen Arteta’s squad at the Emirates Stadium ahead of another title challenge, ESPN reports that the Gunners’ manager cooled on Neto due to his injury history.
It is Neto’s injury record that has led Manchester United legend Roy Keane to believe that the Portuguese international will struggle at Stamford Bridge.
When former Arsenal striker Ian Wright suggested that Neto could be one of the signings of the summer, Keane responded on *The Overlap* with *Sky Bet*: “No! He’s always injured! F*** sake. He’s like [Luke] Shaw.
“He’ll add to the chaos. He’s going to add to the chaos. He will run everywhere and then spend six months on the treatment table with a hamstring injury.”
Neto joins a Chelsea side that finished sixth in the Premier League last season under former manager Mauricio Pochettino.
The Blues hired Enzo Maresca from Championship winners Leicester City following Pochettino’s departure.
“It’s a big club, with big ambitions,” Neto told Chelsea’s official website following his move from Wolves.
“I know the history the club has. I’m really looking forward to meeting my teammates, meeting the staff, and meeting everyone else, because I want to make history with the club.
“It’s a young squad with really talented players. I played against Chelsea last year and I know the team we have. I can’t wait to meet them and work with them because we can do great things.”
When asked about his preferred position, Neto added: “I like to play in the three positions in the front.
“I have played more in the wide areas at Wolves, but inside is also good for me. I don’t have a preference.
“I hope to bring work, I hope to bring faith to the team, to bring wins, to bring goals, to bring assists, and to bring everything to make everybody happy here.
“I want to do my best, help the team achieve their goals, and put Chelsea where they deserve to be: at the top,” Neto pledges.
“My expectations for myself are always high. The expectations here are high, so I’m looking forward to showing people why I am here, and that I deserve to be at the very top level.”