Perhaps Alonso saw something in Neto that the player did not initially see in himself.
Despite joining Chelsea from Wolves for £54m in 2024, the attacker had never been particularly prolific, scoring 14 goals and providing 27 assists in 135 appearances for the Midlands club.
His output improved only marginally at Stamford Bridge before Alonso’s arrival, with 19 goals and 19 assists in 103 appearances.
Since then, however, he has scored four goals and provided one assist in nine appearances this season, despite three of those coming as a substitute. That is more than double the strike-rate he had achieved previously.
Indeed, Chelsea are now getting the best of both worlds.
Despite operating as a wing-back, he is averaging 5.3 touches in the opposition box per 90 minutes compared with 3.6 last season.
His successful dribbles have risen from 1.6 to 1.8 per 90 minutes, while his dribble success rate has increased from 43.5% to 52.6%. He is also creating more chances, with his average climbing from 1.8 to 2.0 per 90, including an increase in open-play chances created from 1.5 to 1.8.
His defensive responsibilities have also increased significantly, with tackles rising from 0.7 to 2.0 per 90 and possessions won increasing from 2.9 to 3.9, all in the Premier League.
It owes to Neto’s athleticism, which he has previously attributed in part to growing up in a family of roller-hockey players, allowing him to impact both ends of the pitch.
In Chelsea’s finest hour under the current American ownership, Neto effectively man-marked Achraf Hakimi as Chelsea beat Paris St-Germain 3-0 in the Club World Cup final in 2025.
On Saturday, Alonso said of Neto’s position: “You can call him whatever you want. Winger, wing-back, attacking player, defensive player. He can do many things.
“Today he did well. He is very competitive and whenever he is close to the action he is a threat against any full-back.”
It is an asymmetric approach from Alonso, who does not demand the same attacking output from his left-sided wing-back, usually Jorrel Hato or Pep Chavarria. That gives Neto greater licence to drive forward on the opposite flank.
In addition, Alonso will appreciate his status as a dressing room joker among his team-mates.
His former Wolves team-mate Conor Coady was working as a pundit for Sky Sports after Chelsea’s 6-3 Carabao Cup win over Leeds, in which Neto scored, and asked him: “When have you ever been worried about conceding goals?”
Neto replied: “Now I am a wing-back, lad.”
The response prompted laughter from both men before Neto added: “In my head, I always have to run back and help my defenders as well.”
A decade ago, Moses transformed himself under Conte to great effect. Neto has not had to change quite as much. Instead, his switch from winger to right wing-back under Alonso has amplified the qualities that were already there.
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