Enzo Maresca has revealed his excitement at Pedro Neto’s anticipated influence at Chelsea this season.
Chelsea shelled out £54million to bring Portugal forward Neto to Stamford Bridge from Wolves at the weekend, and the Blues expect the 24-year-old to make an immediate, significant contribution this coming season.
New head coach Maresca has now admitted that he is particularly enthused by the 10-cap star’s arrival, praising his versatility ahead of a crammed season.
Chelsea will compete in the gruelling Europa Conference League this term, to add to their standard three domestic concerns, and Maresca believes the Blues will need to lean on the full extremities of their admittedly sizeable squad.
Former Leicester boss Maresca thinks Neto’s ability to operate on either flank will stand both him and Chelsea in good stead, as Sunday’s Premier League home opener against reigning champions Manchester City inches into view.
“I’m very excited, he can offer many things,” said Maresca. “He can play on the right side, he can play on the left side, he’s very good one-on-one.
“It is one more option we have because there will be many, many games in the season, so we need a big squad.”
Chelsea snatched a 1-1 draw with Inter Milan at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, completing their pre-season preparations and avoiding defeat to the Serie A champions thanks to Lesley Ugochukwu’s last-minute leveller.
Former City assistant Maresca will open his Premier League tenure with Chelsea by going up against his old employers, and taking on his ex-boss Pep Guardiola.
Chelsea endured a mixed pre-season tour of the USA but will now put their heads down for the action that really matters, with Maresca determined that all those experiences will stand the Blues in good stead for the campaign ahead.
The former West Brom and Juventus midfielder has a wealth of options at his disposal in a packed Blues squad, and admitted places are well and truly up for grabs ahead of the new season’s launch.
“I don’t know my team yet,” he said. “Pre-season has been very tough, intense, many games going from one city to another city.
“Now finally we start a normal week. Tomorrow we are off and then we start to prepare the game.”
