Mikel Arteta opened up after Pedro Neto came out to the press to explain why he turned down their offer….

Chelsea are poised to finalise the acquisition of Pedro Neto, a player who was previously targeted by Arsenal in the transfer market. This deal is expected to be completed one week before Wolves visit the Emirates Stadium, where Arsenal will be hosting the match.

On Friday afternoon, Fabrice Hawkins and David Ornstein reported that Chelsea had successfully negotiated a deal with Wolverhampton Wanderers to acquire Pedro Neto for a transfer price of €60m, with a further €3 million in potential add-.

Hawkins reports that Neto has recently arrived in London to have a medical examination and sign a contract. Upon completion of these procedures, he will officially join Chelsea Football Club.

Arsenal’s decision to make the deal at this time is advantageous, as it aligns with the start of their Premier League season against Wolves on August 17th, which is just one week away.

Neto resumed pre-season training with Wolves after representing Portugal at Euro 2024, but they will now be without him only days before their trip to the Emirates Stadium.

Indeed, Arsenal had previously expressed interest in Neto, but that opportunity appears to have passed quite some time ago. There have been few connections between the Gunners and the Portuguese winger over the summer.

Consequently, Ornstein previously stated that Neto was not likely to be a top priority for Arsenal during this transfer period, as they preferred individuals such as Nico Williams.

It remains uncertain whether the Gunners will be successful in acquiring one of their other options to Neto. However, Chelsea clearly saw the chance to pursue the move without any competition.