Not long before this interview, he made a visit to the office of sporting director Matt Hobbs and informed him that he would not push for a move in January.

Arsenal have been long-term admirers of the Portuguese forward, but Neto wants to put a stop to the noise.

  • EvansD023OPB
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    1 年前

    “I want to say that I am here and I will help everyone,” he tells Telegraph Sport. “I love the club and everybody here, I have always felt that it has given a lot to me.

    “I’m enjoying the moment here so I will continue to do that. The future and long-term ambitions don’t matter. We will never go down in any situation, we are here to win and fight. I feel really good at the moment and hope to continue.”

    Wolves do not have any plans to sell Neto this season either, and his brilliance has removed the gloom of a worrying summer.

    “I feel even better than I was before. A player that has confidence is a different player: I always had it but Gary has given me even more,” he says.

    “I play football because I love it, but the game is what it is because of the fans. When I get the ball and they are pushing me and expecting something special, it’s such a good feeling.”

    Neto, 23, points to O’Neil as a major factor behind him playing the best football of his career so far.

    Harshly dismissed by Bournemouth, O’Neil has been a breath of fresh air for Neto, who was instantly impressed by his training sessions and attention to detail.

    “He’s a manager who always says to the players that he is behind them. He’s always telling me to take my one-against-one, go against my men and be confident and that the team will always be there to help me,” he says.

    “Even in pre-season under Lopetegui I was feeling really good and when Gary came in, I felt it could be the starting point again to go where I want to go.”

    Neto is relishing his resurgence after a tough period plagued by injuries. He has missed around 15 months of the past two seasons after breaking his kneecap twice and then straining ankle ligaments.

    Both injuries came at a dreadful time, ruling him out of Portugal’s Euro 2020 and last year’s World Cup.

    The backing of his family, girlfriend Carolina and Nuno Tiago Silva, his physio, during his recovery was crucial.

    “People said to me it was a serious injury and I was in shock. It was not easy coming home and seeing the other guys playing.

    “I decided to give everything to recover and when I went to Portugal that was my full focus. I wasn’t chilling at all, every day I was working. At my parent’s house I put a bike up in their living room and started cycling while they were watching TV.

    “My physio wanted me to take my time, but I was pushing and pushing. He said that it will be hard for me to return to the way I was. My mentality was always to come back and be stronger.”

    Neto has a tattoo on his right wrist with the word ‘Alive’, which was designed as a defiant message that he would return after the first injury.

    Fast forward to the present, and Neto is flying. He returned for Portugal last week as a substitute for their Euro 2024 qualifier in Bosnia and Herzegovina and is counting down the days until next year’s tournament.

    He will face Newcastle this weekend as the Wolves dangerman, with his team unbeaten in four league matches.

  • HK_RashidunB
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    1 年前

    When I think of Pedro Neto, why do I think of him saying “Very false.”?