Chelsea fans may feel history is repeating itself. Just as they did a decade ago, Chelsea are thriving after moving a winger into a wing-back role, and Pedro Neto is the latest player to benefit. Ten years ago, Victor Moses made the same switch, adapting to Antonio Conte's innovative system and helping Chelsea to a 13-match winning run en route to the 2017 Premier League title.
Neto scored twice from wing-back in Chelsea's 2-0 win at Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday. The situation could have unfolded very differently for the 26-year-old. Chelsea did not regard the Portuguese as untouchable during the summer, although they had set a lofty asking price of about £100m. Neto was among the players frustrated at the end of last season after Enzo Maresca, with whom he had a close relationship, left the club. Uncertainty over his future persisted until the transfer window closed.
Yet last month, Neto signed a new contract until 2032 after emerging as a key player under Alonso. Like several team-mates, he has since publicly backed Chelsea's project. Despite joining from Wolves for £54m in 2024, he had never been particularly prolific. Since Alonso's arrival, however, he has scored four goals and provided one assist in nine appearances this season, more than double his previous strike-rate.
His numbers have improved across the board. He is averaging 5.3 touches in the opposition box per 90 minutes, compared with 3.6 last season. His dribble success rate has increased from 43.5% to 52.6%, and his defensive output has risen sharply, with tackles up from 0.7 to 2.0 per 90. Alonso praised his versatility, saying: "You can call him whatever you want. Winger, wing-back, attacking player, defensive player. He can do many things."
Source: BBC Sport Football · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing