Manchester United Weighing up Move for Wolves Attacker Pedro Neto

Manchester United are reportedly linked with a summer move for Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Pedro Neto. New manager Erik ten Hag has been pushing for a deal to sign Ajax forward Antony, but having failed to secure a move so far, the Red Devils have indentified the Wolves attacker as an alternative.

United have enjoyed a solid pre-season under new manager Erik ten Hag. In particular, the Red Devils will take a lot of inspiration from how their forwards have clicked. Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial have seemed to regain confidence and form ahead of the new season.

However, both Rashford and Martial have been unreliable for the Manchester club in the recent past. Furthermore, with Jadon Sancho not fully acclimatising to life at Old Trafford, the Dutch manager will be looking for more options to choose from.

Pdero Neto, Manchester United — Image Obtained Via: Transfermarkt.com

United have been pursuing Antony for several months now. The Brazilian enjoyed two fruitful seasons under the Dutchman in the Eredivisie and could be tempted to continue playing under his former boss, in the grandeur of the Premier League. However, the Dutch Champions seem certain in their stand to retain the services of the 22-year-old, making any transfer unfeasible.

As a result, Manchester United have shortlisted Pedro Neto as a potential signing. According to Fichajes (via Caught Offside), the Red Devils are weighing up a move for the talented Portuguese attacker. Yannick Carrasco and Rafael Leao have also been touted as possible options.

Manchester United Eye Premier League Winger Pedro Neto

Pedro Neto is a versatile forward, capable of playing across the frontline or as an attacking midfielder. He is a dynamic dribbler who is not afraid to take on and beat his man.

Naturally left-footed, the 22-year-old attacker has mainly been used as a left-winger at Wolves. On the left, the Portuguese international tries to remain wide and attack the opposition full-back 1v1. He opts for a more direct approach and tries to get into the penalty box effectively.

On the right, Neto plays as an inverted winger. He drifts in closer to the box, allowing the full-back to overlap. Cutting in from the right, the Braga academy graduate tries to access the goal directly, or find a killer key pass.

Pedro Neto – Dribbling pic.twitter.com/ylW9nLULnp

— not a wartime consigliere (@1899INE) July 25, 2022

Manchester United are looking to add Pedro Neto to their impressive roster of Portuguese internationals that includes Cristiano Ronaldo, Diogo Dalot and Bruno Fernandes. The Wolverhampton wide man would provide serious competition to Marcus Rashford, and add depth to the forward positions.

Pedro Neto endured an injury-hit 2021-22 season. A knee injury kept the player out of action for 31 games last season (stats via transfermarkt). Prior to that, Neto managed 8 goals and 9 assists across 76 appearances for Wolves.

Verdict

Neto is a very talented player. Manchester United will greatly benefit from having such quality adorn their frontline next season. He could be used down the left to accommodate Sancho on the right or vice versa. The key factor comes down to affordability. The Red Devils are still pursuing Frenkie De Jong among other signings.

The Portuguese forward has been linked with a move to Old Trafford in the past for a fee of around £50 million. For such a fee, the transfer may not be justifiable, as United still require reinforcements for the right-back and midfield positions. However, if the price is brought down to a more reasonable figure, the Manchester club could be looking at a very impressive signing.

What are your thoughts on Pedro Neto? Is he a good signing for Erik ten Hag? How could United line up with the 22-year-old? Let us know in the comments.

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