Manchester City hold transfer talks with Chelsea forward’s representatives as official bid looms | OneFootball

Manchester City have made direct contact with the camp of Chelsea winger Pedro Neto as they explore a possible summer move for the Portugal international, as per a new report.

The 26-year-old joined Chelsea from Wolverhampton in August 2024 and has established himself as one of the Premier League’s more dynamic wide options, with his pace, directness and ability to carry the ball in tight spaces making him an attractive proposition for clubs in the market for a wide attacker capable of creating and converting chances.

City’s interest in the winger position has been one of the most consistent threads of their summer, with director of football Hugo Viana identified a player capable of dribbling and creating chances as a priority addition to Enzo Maresca‘s squad before the window closes.

Neto, who has 30 caps for Portugal and was involved in the national side’s World Cup campaign this summer, is understood to be contracted at Stamford Bridge until 2031 – meaning any deal would require Chelsea to agree a significant departure fee.

Romano: No bid yet as Chelsea’s valuation holds the key

According to Fabrizio Romano, Manchester City have made direct contact with Neto’s camp to gauge the possibility of a summer move, though no formal bid has been submitted to Chelsea and no official club-to-club talks have yet taken place.

Romano adds that Tottenham also have Neto on their list as a back-up option to Savinho, whose own future at the Etihad Stadium remains subject to ongoing speculation, meaning City and Spurs could yet find themselves in competition for the same player on two fronts simultaneously.

The report makes clear that any deal will depend entirely on Chelsea’s valuation – a significant variable given the London club’s position and the length of contract Neto has remaining at Stamford Bridge.

The contact with the player’s camp rather than the club directly is a common opening move in a pursuit of this nature, allowing City to establish personal interest before committing to a formal offer and any fee negotiation with a club they have recent and complex transfer history with.

Manchester City’s summer transfer window so far

City have had an active summer on both sides of the market. The headline piece of incoming business remains the club record £116 million signing of Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest. Geronimo Rulli is also close to completing a move from Marseille as City’s new backup goalkeeper.

On the outgoing side, James Trafford is on the verge of joining Leeds United, while Tijjani Reijnders has emerged as a target for Nottingham Forest in a deal that could raise around £60 million. Mateo Kovacic has confirmed he will remain at the Etihad Stadium after talks with Maresca.

In terms of further incomings, Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille remains City’s priority midfield target, with CEO Ferran Soriano having met Lille president Olivier Létang directly over a deal that has been ongoing throughout the window.

The Pedro Neto approach represents the latest stage of a winger pursuit that has also seen City linked with Francisco Trincão and Savinho attract concrete Tottenham interest.

Rodri’s future also looms large over the remainder of the window, with Real Madrid understood to have an agreement with the player personally as club-to-club negotiations continue – a potential departure that would represent the most significant outgoing of the summer by some distance.