{"id":1647,"date":"2026-02-27T04:58:34","date_gmt":"2026-02-27T04:58:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=1647"},"modified":"2026-02-27T04:58:34","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T04:58:34","slug":"roberto-martinez-says-54m-chelsea-star-can-reach-another-level-ahead-of-arsenal-clash-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=1647","title":{"rendered":"Roberto Martinez says \u00a354m Chelsea star can reach another level ahead of Arsenal clash | Football"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n\t\t\"Portugal\t<\/div>
Portugal boss Roberto Martinez (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Roberto Martinez believes Pedro Neto can reach another level and become a consistently \u2018influential\u2019 player for Chelsea.<\/p>\n

Portugal winger Neto has scored 19 goals in 89 appearances since completing a \u00a354m move from Wolves in 2024.<\/p>\n

Three of those goals came in Chelsea\u2019s 4-0 victory over Hull City in the FA Cup, with Neto not scoring in the Premier League since early December.<\/p>\n

Neto\u2019s international manager, Portugal boss Martinez, believes the 25-year-old is still \u2018adapting\u2019 to playing for a club of the size of Chelsea and says there is more to come from him.<\/p>\n

Asked what is stopping Neto from reaching the next level, Martinez said on The Overlap: \u2018Nothing, really.<\/p>\n

\u2018He\u2019s\u00a0been adapting to the number of games Chelsea play because a game every three days is tough for him.\u00a0He\u2019s\u00a0still young and he had a big injury when he was younger.<\/p>\n

\u2018I think\u00a0he\u2019s\u00a0still adapting but the moment he can play three games a week he will have that influence in every game.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Chelsea\t<\/div>
Chelsea signed Pedro Neto from Wolves (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018He\u2019s\u00a0a vertical player, someone who can open the game up. I thought he was the main player to open the space for Cole Palmer in the Club World Cup final. His intensity was incredible.\u2019<\/p>\n

Discussing the difference between Neto and Chelsea legend Eden Hazard, who he worked with while in charge of Belgium, Martinez added: \u2018Hazard would stop the game and find his one vs one, he had that pause.<\/p>\n

\u2018Pedro Neto is the opposite, he will accelerate the game. Neto can play on both wings, when he plays on the right he comes inside but it\u2019s not going to be a slow action like it sometimes was with Eden.<\/p>\n

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\u2018They are different players.\u2019<\/p>\n

Neto helped Chelsea qualify for the Champions League last season and lift the Conference League trophy before the Blues won the Club World Cup in the summer.<\/p>\n

Chelsea are fifth in the Premier League, three points behind fourth-placed Manchester United, ahead of Sunday\u2019s London derby against leaders Arsenal.<\/p>\n

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It was Arsenal who knocked Chelsea out of the Carabao Cup in the semi-finals and Paul Merson expects a similar outcomes at the Emirates Stadium this weekend.<\/p>\n

\u2018We saw in the Carabao Cup how Chelsea parked the bus but they can\u2019t afford to do that again,\u2019 Merson told Sportskeeda. \u2018They have to go for it in this one.<\/p>\n

\u2018Chelsea let in a goal every week without fail! It was a really bad result against Burnley last weekend. I expect Chelsea to be a threat but I can\u2019t see them keeping a clean sheet in this game.<\/p>\n

\u2018Apart from one or two winnable games, all of the upcoming fixtures till the end of the season will be a huge challenge for Chelsea.<\/p>\n

\u2018Barring the Manchester United game, Arsenal are still unbeaten at home. But this is still a tough game for them because they have to come out and win this.\u2019<\/p>\n

For more stories like this,\u00a0check our sport page<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Arrow<\/title>\n<\/svg>MORE: \u2018He\u2019s the one\u2019 \u2013 Chelsea urged to sign \u00a330m Premier League star to replace transfer \u2018mistake\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

Arrow<\/title>\n<\/svg>MORE: Paul Merson\u2019s Premier League predictions, including Arsenal v Chelsea and Man Utd v Crystal Palace<\/span><\/p>\n

Arrow<\/title>\n<\/svg>MORE: Man Utd and Chelsea target Elliot Anderson speaks out on transfer links<\/span><\/p>\n
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