Whilst there's always likely to be last-minute deals conducted, as much for unforeseen injuries that occur during pre-season as anything else, clubs doing their business early arguably have the run on some of their opponents.
More outgoings for Chelsea?
Being able to hit the ground running in the first game of a new campaign is largely down to having a settled starting XI by the time the first whistle in the new season sounds, and to that end, Chelsea are again in the headlines, but this time for potentially allowing one of their star performers to move on.
For the last few transfer windows, the Blues have seen multiple incomings and outgoings, to the point now where it's almost expected.
Whether for financial reasons or otherwise, that has become the new reality for the West London outfit.
One player who had an outstanding season in 2025/26 could well be one of the next players to be moved on by owners, Clearlake Capital.
£100m+ fee could sway Blues
Although reports suggest that the Blues aren't actively looking for buyers for Pedro Neto, nor are they apparently discounting the possibility, given how much the market value for wingers appears to have increased recently.
Bradley Barcola and Yan Diomande moving to pastures new look to be two deals that could happen in this window, and with reported transfer fees in excess of £100m, Chelsea are clearly keen to be open to all options.
Both Man City and Liverpool have been linked with Neto, and with former Blues manager Enzo Maresca now having taken over from Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium, there are reasons to believe that a reunion might well be possible.
Options in the Saudi Pro League are also apparently on the table, but such a switch is only likely to occur if Neto values his financial situation above all else.
Incredible return
At present, it isn't actually clear if the Portuguese ace would countenance a move elsewhere in any event, though it's a common enough fact in football circles that if a club puts a value on a player or accepts a bid, that's an acceptance that they're happy for said player to leave.
Were Neto therefore to be seen as surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge, what could he bring to any new employer?
For a start, no one in the Chelsea side provided more than his 10 assists (joint-most with Enzo Fernandez) last season, and the wide man also weighed in with 13 goals, the fourth-best return in the team.
Nineteen fast breaks were at least seven more than any of his colleagues managed, and Neto also hit the woodwork on four occasions; had those efforts gone in, they would have seen him up near the very summit of the top scorers list last season.
What may surprise many, given that Chelsea had the likes of Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer et al playing for them, is that Neto had the best shot accuracy in the squad (59.18%), as well as the best shot conversion (16.25%). Even his big chance conversion rate of 53.85% was better than anyone else too.
More duels than combative Cucurella
With those kinds of figures alone, it's little wonder that other clubs are showing potential interest in his services.
That's not taking his excellence in other areas into account either.
An 88.42% pass completion rate was one of the best in the squad, whilst his 837 passes attempted into the final third were only exceeded by Enzo Fernandez. Neto's 85.3% completion in this respect was another top showing, with Fernandez's 77.22% some way off.
Even 428 one-on-one duels attempted is excessive for a winger, and put into context, that output was even higher than the combative Marc Cucurella, for example.
Test of Xabi Alonso's reign
His tackle success rate of 58.06% is also incredibly laudable and is evidence of a player who works hard at both ends of the pitch for the good of his team.
Indeed, it's that work rate that arguably sets him apart from his contemporaries, and in the right set-up, he could be dynamite.
His potential sale could be the first real test of Xabi Alonso's managerial reign in West London, too, because with those sorts of numbers, why would you countenance getting rid of Neto in the first place?!
It would still show beyond doubt that Todd Boehly et al are actually pulling the strings, and that's a recipe for disaster with the greatest respect.
Jason Pettigrove has been the features writer for Flashscore since 2025, utilising Opta data to form the basis of his articles. He has previously worked for high profile football clubs, news and media outlets, both in print and digital, and can usually be found watching FC Barcelona when time permits. You can read more of his pieces here.
