Liverpool’s Summer Targets: Wolves Attacker Looking Unlikely due to “Club Record Fee”
As the launch of Arne Slot’s Liverpool era begins to build momentum, eyes are now turning towards Liverpool’s summer transfer plans. As it stands, a defender and a forward appear to be the two priority positions for the Reds with links to the likes of Frankfurt’s Willian Pacho, Lille’s Leny Yoro and PSV’s Johan Bakayoko remaining prominent over recent days.
A familiar name has also resurfaced lately though, with Liverpool being linked with a summer move for Wolves forward, Pedro Neto. However, that move could already be thrown into doubt according to a recent report by The Telegraph.
Wolves’ Record-Breaking Demands
According to The Telegraph, Wolves are set to demand at least £60million for the Portuguese forward, which would be a club record fee for the Midlands side. Matheus Nunes’ move to Liverpool’s rivals, Manchester City, currently stands as their record departure at around £50million.
Photo: IMAGO
Although this fee isn’t completely astronomical and perhaps feasible for the Reds, I suspect they may believe there could be value in the market at a cheaper price point. However, Manchester City themselves also remain interested and they absolutely would not hesitate to splash the cash on Neto, should they decide he is their man.
Competition for Neto’s Signature
Liverpool don’t just face competition from Man City for Neto’s signature though, with Newcastle United also reportedly interested in the 24-year-old. Despite their rich owners though, Newcastle could also struggle to match this price due to their Financial Fair Play restrictions.
The Reds will likely believe they could convince Neto of their sporting project though, should they agree to move ahead with this sort of transfer fee.
Fitting in at Liverpool
Neto could be the perfect replacement should Luis Diaz depart the club this summer. Recent reports have suggested that Barcelona could be set to make the Colombian their number one priority this summer, with a move worth around £70million being mentioned.
That would pretty much free up that left-wing role for Neto to slot straight into, although Cody Gakpo’s performances at the end of the season could leave an argument in that department. One of the main strengths of Neto is also his versatility though, with the Portuguese forward being more than capable of playing from the right too and could serve as an alternative or even a replacement for Mohamed Salah in the long-term.
His direct style of play, alongside his incredible pace and flair, would make him an ideal candidate in the Reds’ tactical play. He’s also much more of a direct goal threat than PSV’s Johan Bakayoko, who has also been linked with a move to Anfield. Despite numerous injuries, he has still managed 13 direct goal involvements for Gary O’Neil’s side this season.
Neto’s Injury Struggles
One key factor that may put off Michael Edwards and Liverpool from pursuing a deal for Neto, could be his woeful injury record. The forward has missed an astonishing 123 games since the start of the 2017/18 season. Out of those absences, 99 of those came since the start of the 2020/21 season. He missed 52 games with a knee injury that season and then missed 27 games with an ankle injury in the 2022/23 season, too.
Pedro Neto: Yes or No?
There’s no doubt that Pedro Neto is a simply fantastic player, hence the interest from some of England’s elite clubs. However, his injury record really does throw a spanner into the works for all of those clubs, especially for Liverpool and Newcastle who can’t afford to throw such money at a player who only averages 25 games per season.
The £60million fee is a lot of money to pay for a player with those issues, but if Wolves’ stance does budge at all then he is a player I would Liverpool to at least press on. Should that price move to a fee closer to around £40-45million, then I think it would be a no-brainer but the £60m fee could just be too much to justify.
