Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Julen Lopetegui claims Pedro Neto won’t be back for another month amid links with a move to Arsenal.
It’s fairly common knowledge at this point that Arsenal are in the market for a winger in 2023.
Shakhtar Donetsk star Mykhaylo Mudryk appears to be the top target and many expect a January deal to go through.
Yet Arsenal do still need to have alternative targets in mind for January just in case they can’t bring Mudryk to the Emirates Stadium.
The Express claim that Arsenal have a ‘firm interest’ in signing Wolves star Pedro Neto as well as Moussa Diaby and Yeremy Pino of Bayer Leverkusen and Villarreal respectively.
Arsenal were heavily linked with Neto over the summer but they just weren’t able to secure a deal for the Wolves wide man.
The problem with Neto right now is that he is out injured – and it sounds like he won’t be back for a little while.
Arsenal target Neto faces another month out
Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui has spoken about Neto’s injury situation in the wake of renewed links with Premier League rivals Arsenal.
Neto was out for 10 months with a knee injury before making his return in February of this year.
Wolves were expecting big things from Neto this season but he suffered an ankle ligament injury in October – the final game of Bruno Lage’s time in charge.
Neto hasn’t played since and he isn’t going to play over the festive period.
Lopetegui has told the Birmingham Mail that he doesn’t know how long Neto will be out but it’s at least a month until he starts working with the rest of the Wolves squad.
Lopetegui hailed Neto as a ‘very important player’ for Wolves but we seemingly won’t be seeing him again in 2022 and he may even be injured throughout the January window.
“I don’t know how long but I hope he is fit as soon as possible because he is a very good player and very important player for us. I think now he has to wait,” said Lopetegui.
“We have to wait for him because he has had surgery and I think maybe one month more before he starts working,” he added.
That complicates any Arsenal chase and these injury blows will surely be a concern for both Edu and Mikel Arteta.
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