Pedro Neto remains a target, but the numbers don't add up
Pedro Neto is still on Manchester City's list, according to Fabrizio Romano. That much is clear. What is rather less clear is how the two clubs bridge a valuation gap that can politely be described as sizeable.
Romano, speaking on his YouTube channel, has poured cold water on the idea that this one gets done quickly. The gap between what City are willing to pay and what Chelsea want is very big, he says, and a deal is financially not easy at this stage. That is transfer-speak for: don't hold your breath.
Why the interest at all?
The driving force behind City's pursuit is not difficult to identify. Enzo Maresca knows Neto well from their time together at Stamford Bridge, where the winger made 77 appearances and racked up 27 goals and assists. That relationship has been central to City's interest throughout.
City made contact with Neto's camp over two weeks ago. And there matters appear to have stalled.
Chelsea, for their part, are not under any pressure to sell. They are happy to keep him unless a substantial offer arrives — and they have made clear what that looks like. The Blues are holding out for around £75m, which would represent a tidy profit on the £54m they paid Wolves two years ago.
Whether Neto is worth £21m more than Chelsea gave Wolves for him is a question City's accountants will be chewing over. The answer, at this stage, appears to be no.
Everything hinges on Savinho
The actual need for a winger remains conditional. City reportedly only move if Savinho departs, and should the Brazilian head to Tottenham, expect the Neto interest to sharpen quickly. Until then, this feels like a deal parked in a lay-by, engine idling.
Which leaves City where they often find themselves in August: waiting on someone else's move before making their own. Savinho's future decides Neto's. And Chelsea's asking price decides whether either of them gets anywhere near the Etihad.