Joe Cole strongly criticises Chelsea’s asking price

Chelsea have set the transfer value of their player Pedro Neto at £100 million, sparking strong criticism in the football community. Former Blues winger Joe Cole called the English club’s price “ridiculous” and completely unjustified. In his view, Europe’s leading clubs would never agree to buy the Portuguese player for such a fee. Goal.com reports .

According to Goal.com, while transfer rumours surrounding Pedro Neto continue to circulate, Chelsea’s management is demanding a price far above the player’s true market value. In an interview with Paddy Power, Joe Cole openly said that the player’s fair value was half of the amount currently being demanded.

The transfer fee and the Saudi factor

The former player said that no football expert in their right mind would pay £100 million for Pedro Neto. Even the current giants of the Premier League would clearly not take such a risk. “Manchester City would not have paid that kind of money for Pedro Neto,” Cole said.

Nevertheless, the pundit did not rule out Saudi Arabian clubs being able to meet the demand. He suggested that, because Saudi investors may be part of the consortium behind Chelsea’s ownership, the club could be hoping for a buyer to emerge from Asia. Cole estimates the player’s real value at around £50–60 million.

The player’s positive qualities

Despite his strong criticism of the price, Joe Cole praised Pedro Neto’s ability and work rate on the pitch. He particularly emphasised that the player’s tactical versatility is an important weapon for any coach.

“I have a great deal of respect for him as a player. He is a real fighter and competes until the very end on the pitch,” Cole said. He also acknowledged that the player can operate on both the left and right wings and, when necessary, as a wing-back, while being an experienced Premier League player.