Chelsea tipped to sell £54m star after rejecting approach from ‘top club’ last summer

Chelsea could be tempted to sell one of Enzo Maresca’s key players – just months after they rejected an approach for the £54million star.

The Blues are in top form, recently thumping Barcelona 3-0, a result that has given them huge confidence ahead of the top of the Premier Leagueclash against Arsenal on Sunday.

Maresca has plenty of attacking options at his disposal but his most depended upon forward is Pedro Neto, with only Enzo Fernandez and Marc Cucurella making more appearances this season.

So far, the winger has scored four and assisted two in 17 appearances, adding to the 18 goal contributions he recorded last season following a £54m transfer from Wolves.

However, it could have been very different as The Athletic have now reported that ‘one of Europe’s biggest sides’ attempted to sign the Portugal international at the end of the summer transfer window.

Their approach was swiftly rejected by Chelsea, with Neto a popular figure at Stamford Bridge both on and off the pitch, and it is not clear which club made the move.

However, the report adds that this may not be the end of the transfer saga, and Neto’s future at the west London club could become uncertain next year.

While capable of playing across the forward line, Maresca has primarily deployed Neto on the right-flank, supported by Estevao Willian, with summer signings Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens competing to start on the left.

At the moment, the 25-year-old is first-choice, but with every passing week there are growing calls for Estevao to start, with many tipping the teenager to become one the world’s best players.

Moreover, Chelsea already have a £44m transfer agreed for highly-rated right-winger Geovany Quenda, who will join from Sporting Lisbon next summer.

As a result, Neto’s place in the Blues squad may soon come under threat, which could prompt the club to sell him on if interest in the player rematerialises.

Chelsea have form for this, signing England star Noni Madueke in 2023 with the view that he would be the future of the team, before selling him last summer to Arsenal to make way for Estevao, Garnacho and Gittens.

But this would be a surprising decision given Maresca’s fondness for the player, who is under contract until 2031, and he is not the only fan of the Portuguese.

Speaking ahead of Chelsea’s Champions League win over Benfica, legendary Blues manager Jose Mourinho said: ‘Pedro Neto is one of the best wingers in the world.

‘Roberto [Martinez] at the [Portugal] national team is very privileged because he has not only Pedro Neto but four or five players of that profile. What can I say? I can wish him the very best, injury-free career.’

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