Pundit and former footballer Kevin Campbell reckons Arsenal should sign Pedro Neto, as he could be a great fit with Bukayo Saka.
Arsenal have been linked with Neto for a while. The Wolverhampton Wanderers forward was on their wishlist last summer (via football.london), but a move failed to go through.
Those reports have come to the fore once again, with ESPN reporting earlier this month that Arsenal want to sign the forward in January. Campbell, who scored 53 times in 202 games for the north London giants between 1989 and 1994, thinks Neto could be a valuable addition, considering Saka’s recent injury concerns.
Neto suffered a knee injury in April 2021 that kept him out till February 2022. Six months after his return, an ankle problem forced him out of action till February this year.
Campbell, though, said on the “Highbury Squad” YouTube podcast (as quoted by TBR Football) that it’s not a concern:
“No. I’ll tell you why. He’s young enough, and he won’t have to play every game.
“Sometimes that’s what happens when he plays so many games the fatigue kicks in, but in a possession-based side like us, he will get time to rest on the sideline. I think he could be the perfect foil for Saka.”
Neto struggled to make an impact after returning from injury last season, failing to provide a goal contribution in 10 Premier League appearances between March and May. However, he has started this season on fire.
In eight league games, the Portuguese winger has scored once and laid out five assists. Neto has been directly involved in six of Wolves’ nine goals. He also forced a Ruben Dias own-goal in the 2-1 league win at home over Manchester City last month.
Bukayo Saka could return from injury for Arsenal this weekend
Reports linking Pedro Neto to Arsenal have seemingly returned following Bukayo Saka’s recent hamstring injury.
Saka sustained the injury during the Gunners’ 2-1 UEFA Champions League at Lens on October 3. That led him to miss their 1-0 win over Manchester City at the Emirates five days later, bringing an end to his run of 87 consecutive league appearances.
While fans were concerned about Saka potentially missing several games, The Standard reported on October 17 that the injury isn’t too serious. The report added that Saka could feature for Arsenal against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in a highly anticipated Premier League fixture on Saturday (October 21).
The winger has five goals and five assists in ten games across competitions this term. However, he doesn’t boast the best of records against Chelsea, scoring just twice in eight appearances across competitions.