Chelsea

Chelsea

Premier League • England

Juventus prepare stunning Chelsea raid, with forward’s move to be greenlit after Pedro Neto signs

Chelsea forwards Raheem Sterling and Mykhailo Mudryk

Chelsea are on the cusp of completing a move for Wolves winger Pedro Neto and his arrival could push a high profile forward to Juventus after the Serie A giant accelerated a stunning double move, according to a report.

Chelsea have sealed a deal with Wolves to sign Pedro Neto for €63m/£54m. The breakdown of the deal is roughly €60m/£51.5m plus €3m/£2.5m in add-ons.

A six-year contract with a club option for a seventh season will be signed. Neto, 24, has already arrived in London and was undertaking a medical as of 9am on Saturday morning.

Neto can play on either flank and adds to Enzo Maresca’s options out wide. However, with the likes of Cole Palmer, Mykhailo Mudryk, Raheem Sterling and Noni Madueke also in the mix, an exit may now be required.

According to trusted Italian reporter, Gianluca Di Marzio, Sterling could be the odd man out.

Sterling cost Chelsea £47.5m when plucked from Manchester City two summers ago. The four-time Premier League winner was aged 27 at the time and is among the oldest players Chelsea have signed in the Todd Boehly era.

Chelsea are continuing to invest heavily in youth and per Di Marzio, Neto’s arrival could push 29-year-old Sterling out.

Juventus are seeking wholesale changes to their forward line this summer and remain intent on selling Federico Chiesa who has entered the final year of his deal.

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed a move for Fiorentina winger Nico Gonzalez is in play. Taking to X on Friday, Romano stated: “Negotiations between Juventus and Fiorentina for Nico Gonzalez keep advancing, even today.

“€30m package on loan with obligation to buy, Nico not even on the bench as he wants Juventus.”

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Juventus want Gonzalez AND Sterling

But per Di Marzio, Juventus actually want TWO new wingers and Sterling is the second wide man they’re turning to.

Di Marzio wrote: ‘The Bianconeri’s intention is to buy two players, one of which in Juve’s intentions should be Nico Gonzalez, the Argentine from Fiorentina.

‘As for the other name, the Juventus list also includes Raheem Sterling, an English player born in 1994, currently at Chelsea.

‘Sterling would become an incoming opportunity because Chelsea are buying another player in his role, the Portuguese Pedro Neto from Wolverhampton: a situation that could lead to the former Manchester City player leaving Stamford Bridge for a move elsewhere.

‘Of course, if Juve were to decide to focus on Sterling, it wouldn’t be easy: there will certainly be a lot of competition and not only in the Premier League.

‘In Italy, however, the Bianconeri are already getting information to understand the conditions and feasibility of a possible operation.’

Sterling’s high salary an obvious issue

Sterling is understood to be among Chelsea’s highest earners, with reports stating he pockets in excess of £300,000-a-week.

Under no circumstance will Juve match those demands, meaning a permanent move would require Sterling to accept a sizeable pay cut.

The alternative is a loan deal that could contain an option or obligation to buy. But again, that route would likely require Chelsea to subsidise a portion of Sterling’s wages during the loan spell.

A compromise – whether it be from Chelsea or Sterling – does look required if the 82-cap England international is to complete a move to Turin.

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