How can Liverpool, City and Arsenal rely on injury-hit Pedro Neto?

Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City are all known to be keen on Wolves attacker Pedro Neto.

The tricky winger has provided nine assists and two goals in only 19 Premier League appearances this term, highlighting his creativity and attacking threat.

However his injury troubles are well documented and should give the big boys pause for thought before they seek to strike a deal.

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Wolves are reported to have placed a €93 million price tag on the head of their star attraction, with the 24-year-old under contract until 2027.

His combination of ball-carrying ability and eye for a pass mark him out as a unique talent who, on his day, could change a game for even the very best teams.

Neto has scored against Manchester United this season and added assists against Liverpool, Tottenham and Chelsea, demonstrating that he can do it on the biggest stage.

But Neto’s problem has been his fitness since, ever signing from Braga back in 2019.

Neto has been injury prone throughout his Wolves career

He’s only played 134 matches across nearly FIVE YEARS with Wanderers, with a serious knee injury ruling him out for the best part of a year back in April 2021 and into February 2022.

In October of that year, he suffered an ankle ligament injury which required surgery and saw him miss another five months of action.

And this season, despite a strong start, he broke down with a hamstring injury back in November which ruled him out for nine Premier League matches.

Over his last three seasons his number of games in all competitions total 13, 19 and, this term, 23.

Last weekend Wolves’ worst fears materialised all over again as he pulled up during the closing stages of the first half against Fulham.

He was replaced by compatriot Toti although the extent of the hamstring injury - this time on the other leg - at that stage was unknown.

The former Lazio player was then absent this weekend as Wolves crashed out of the FA Cup against second-tier Coventry City.

Pedro Neto likely out for the season

The question was put to Gary O’Neil, Wolves manager, in the press conference following the game and the prognosis wasn’t good.

O’Neil revealed that it might well be the end of Neto’s season with serious question marks now surrounding the five-cap Portugal international’s long-term fitness.

“Pedro, it’s potentially the end of the season for him – very similar to the injury he suffered on the other side. There’s a chance he gets back for the last couple if it goes really well.”

He would have been hoping for a place in Roberto Martinez’s squad for the upcoming European Championship but his robustness is now under scrutiny.

Can the top clubs rely on Pedro Neto?

And if he fails to play between now and the end of the season then Martinez will surely be reluctant to risk one of his 23 squad places on an oft-injured, if brilliant, attacker.

The same might be said of managers like Pep Guardiola, Mikel Arteta and whoever succeeds Jurgen Klopp.

The last thing Liverpool need after this season is another injury-hit forward having had to do without Diogo Jota, Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez at various stages.

So while Neto might well be one of the most electrifying Premier League talents on his day, the problem has been that those days don’t happen nearly often enough.