Chelsea winger Pedro Neto has been asked whether Saudi Arabia’s millions could tempt him away from Stamford Bridge.

His answer was about as straightforward as it gets: “I’m attracted to Chelsea.”

And that wasn’t just a polite response. The Portuguese international, who recently extended his contract until 2032, made it quite clear that he has no intention of considering another destination.

There’s plenty going on in his career, too. Neto has been enjoying life under Xabi Alonso, helping younger players settle in and finding a level of consistency that sometimes escaped him at Wolves.

He’s now opened up about all of that, along with his relationship with Jorge Mendes, an old opportunity to join Benfica and the players he rates most highly.

Pedro Neto has no interest in leaving Chelsea

In an extensive interview with Portuguese newspaper O Jogo, Neto was asked directly whether the financial rewards available in Saudi Arabia appealed to him. He didn’t leave much room for interpretation.

“I’m attracted to Chelsea. My head is only here. The club has shown me affection, given me everything, and I’m very grateful for that. I don’t think about other scenarios.”

Now Neto has clearly taken to working with Alonso, and he believes the Spanish manager has made a real difference.

“He tries to pass on a lot of what he was as a player and, as we know, he was an elite player. He has very clear ideas and tactically the team has improved a lot under him.”

“Then there’s his experience, everything he went through at the clubs he played for and everything he won. He brought that winning mentality to the club, that desire to win trophies. And that’s something the players have definitely bought into.”

“The players want trophies, they’re hungry for victories and he’s brought that to the team. He’s used to winning.”

That ambition extends to the Premier League, although Neto isn’t getting carried away just yet. Chelsea have already suffered disappointment in the League Cup this season, but the winger believes there are still plenty of opportunities ahead.

“Unfortunately, we’ve already been knocked out of the League Cup. But we hope to win other trophies, because this club has always had a rich history when it comes to winning things.”

“The main objective will be to win the Premier League, although it won’t be easy. Every match is very difficult, it’s a very competitive league.”

“You can only really understand whether you have a chance of getting there towards the end of the competition. At the beginning, until January, you can be in first place, as happened to us two years ago, and then end up finishing fourth. In the Premier League, I like to take it game by game.”

Why Neto isn’t obsessed with his numbers

The winger’s attacking output has improved since arriving at Chelsea, but he doesn’t seem especially interested in setting individual targets.

Instead, he sees himself as someone whose job extends well beyond scoring goals and providing assists.

“Since I arrived at Chelsea, that has been a reality, but honestly, it’s not an obsession for me. I don’t think about things individually, I think collectively.”

“My role on the pitch involves both attacking and defending. I’m a winger who defends a lot. I’m a team player. That’s what defines me best and I feel comfortable that way.”

“I’m very focused on winning and, obviously, I always want to improve from year to year and perform as well as possible.”

He also revealed something about his preferred position. Although Chelsea supporters have seen him operate on both flanks, Neto knows exactly where he feels most comfortable.

“To be honest, I feel more comfortable on the right. I think I have more options on that side.”

“It’s rare to see a winger playing on the same side as their dominant foot. People even say it’s a bit like an ‘old-fashioned winger’. I feel more comfortable playing on the right, although I like playing on both sides.”

Caicedo deserves more credit – And Palmer is exceptional

When asked which Chelsea teammate impresses him most, Neto had no hesitation in highlighting Moisés Caicedo. And he believes the Ecuadorian midfielder doesn’t always receive the recognition he deserves.

“In terms of security, knowing he’ll always be there, that he’s intense, a real fighter, very strong and committed to his responsibilities, Caicedo really impresses me.”

“People don’t talk about him much, but they should give him more credit. Maybe he’s paid the price for a season that didn’t go well for the team, but he’s a complete player.”

He wasn’t about to forget Cole Palmer, either.

“Then there’s Palmer. Technically, he’s different, outstanding.”

The praise didn’t stop with Chelsea’s established players. Neto also spoke warmly about Geovany Quenda, another Portuguese winger who has been adapting to life at Stamford Bridge.

“He’s a very hard-working kid. In fact, people had already told me that before he came here. I enjoy helping him settle into the club more and more.”

“He has a lot of quality, he’s humble and he’s been improving. He’s a kid who likes to listen, likes to learn, and I think he has great potential to achieve wonderful things here in England, because he has intensity and quality.”

“He defends, he attacks, so he’s a very complete winger. And I think modern wingers need to do both things. I think he’ll do very well.”

Injuries cost Neto transfers before Chelsea came calling

Looking back on his years at Wolves, the winger admitted that injuries did more than keep him off the pitch. They actually prevented him from moving clubs on several occasions.

“Absolutely. I went through difficult moments. There were years when I was close to leaving Wolverhampton and didn’t leave because of injuries.”

“Fortunately, in the last year, Chelsea took a chance on me. Since I arrived here, thank God, things have gone well. The injuries also made me stronger physically and mentally.”

His career has also been shaped by another familiar figure in Portuguese football.

Jorge Mendes played a major role in his early development, investing his confidence in the winger when he was leaving Braga. And apparently the agent still likes reminding him about it.

“He still jokes with me about that today. Obviously, he gave me a lot of confidence.”

“Not everything went well when I left Braga for Lazio, but then I went to Wolverhampton and my performances there were very different. Things went well and, in a way, I repaid him for his help [laughs].”

“We’re always joking about these things when we meet. He ends up saying that now everyone wants to be my ‘father’, but he’s the one who took a chance on me.”

Sport Witness Analysis: Portuguese players at Chelsea