The 24-year-old has had many medical problems in the Premier League, but he has always been seen as one of Wolves' best players and made his mark in 2023–24.
Neto played 24 times in all competitions, scoring three goals and setting up 11 others. This performance helped Gary O'Neil's team to stay in the Premier League easily.
Neto has been linked with a move to Arsenal for a long time. His play last season has also caught the attention of Liverpool, though his injury history is not very good.
Since moving from Lazio to Wolves in 2019, the attacker has missed an amazing 112 games for both his team and his country. However, Chelsea still paid £54m for him.
According to journalist Ben Jacobs, Neto passed his physical tests and will sign his long-term contract on Saturday evening. He had to drive to London for his exams.
The Portugal international is set to sign a six-year deal with Enzo Maresca's team. They can also add another year to the deal until the end of the 2030–31 season.
Neto has generally agreed to terms with Chelsea, even though two of Chelsea's Premier League rivals, including Manchester City, tried to hijack a deal late at night and failed.
Jacobs also says that Tottenham Hotspur offered a player and cash, but Neto only wanted to move to Stamford Bridge. The name of the player(s) is unknown.
Chelsea will likely show Neto off to the crowd in West London right before the game with Inter Milan on Sunday. This is because he could make his Premier League start on the season's first weekend against Manchester City.
Is Chelsea's decision to sign Neto a smart one?
The 24-year-old will leave Wolves having scored 14 goals and set up 24 others in 135 games across all competitions. The West Midlands team will make a good profit on the £15.4m they paid for him five years ago from Lazio.
At 24, Neto is one of the older players Chelsea signed during the Todd Boehly era. However, the winger showed in the first half of last season that his quality had stayed the same, even though he had a lot of problems staying fit.
When Neto was fully healthy, few Premier League players could match his ability to set up plays. But it's unclear whether the winger will be able to play in all 50 games for Chelsea this season.
Also, Maresca already has a lot of great players in his vast ranks. Mykhaylo Mudryk, Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke, and Raheem Sterling are all signed, and Christopher Nkunku is also no stranger to the side.
The Chelsea medical staff might be able to cure Neto's injuries for good, but at first glance, Wolves are getting the better deal.
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