Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Pedro Neto breaks silence on future amid transfer interest from Arsenal

Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Pedro Neto has opened up about being linked with Arsenal in the ongoing transfer window. He claimed that he is flattered to have attracted interest from the Gunners but that he is happy with his current side.

Neto, who has five years left on his current deal at the Molineux Stadium, has recently emerged as a transfer target for Mikel Arteta's side. According to The Athletic, discussions between the two clubs and the player's agent Jorge Mendes have been ongoing for over a month.

Known for his pace and directness, the Portuguese rose to prominence during the 2020-21 season with his electric performances on either flank. He registered five goals and six assists in 35 matches.

He suffered a long-term knee injury last season and could only play 13 matches. However, he has started all three of his club's Premier League matches this season.

Speaking to The Times (via 90min), Neto addressed the recent transfer speculations involving him and Arsenal. He said:

"I always like to hear this sort of stuff but I'm focused on my job here because I'm feeling very good here. The things you hear makes you work even more, it's good for you and your mentality to know that people know your value. It gives me more hunger to work harder."

He continued:

"The dream of any player is to play in the Champions League. I want to help this club to go higher and higher because I think we have that potential with the way we work, the way we sign players, the way we try to arrive there. We were very close last year but it is missing something and that's something we have to work out between us."

Since arriving from Lazio for £18 million in 2019, Neto has registered 11 goals and 12 assists in 95 matches for Wolves across all competitions.

If a potential deal with Arsenal goes through, he will be their sixth summer signing this summer. They have signed Gabriel Jesus, Oleksander Zinchenko, Matt Turner, Fabio Vieira and Marquinhos so far.

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Nicolas Pepe inches closer to Arsenal exit

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal forward Nicolas Pepe is close to completing a season-long loan deal to Nice. The clubs are currently engaged in salary negotiations, which is considered to be the final step in the discussions.

Pepe, who has two years left on his current deal, has fallen down the pecking order at the Emirates Stadium following the rise of Bukayo Saka. During the 2021-22 season, he registered three goals and six assists in 23 appearances across all competitions.

Pepe joined Arsenal for a club-record £72 million fee in 2019.