Bacary Sagna ‘expected more’ from £54m Chelsea signing

Former Arsenal and Manchester City defender Bacary Sagna admits helium ‘expected more’ from 1 of Chelsea’s big-money summertime signings.

Chelsea spent much than £200m connected caller signings past summer but FA Cup and League Cup victor Sagna has been ‘disappointed’ by the performances for Pedro Neto.

Portugal planetary Neto completed a £54m determination from Wolves, putting pen to insubstantial connected a seven-year declaration astatine Stamford Bridge.

The 24-year-old was a hugely influential fig astatine Molineux but has flattered to deceive astatine Chelsea, scoring 2 goals successful 21 Premier League games.

Despite costing much than £50m, Neto has started little than fractional of Chelsea’s league matches arsenic helium faces aggravated contention from the likes of Jadon Sancho and Noni Madueke.

‘I decidedly expected a spot much from Neto due to the fact that helium was specified an breathtaking subordinate astatine Wolves,’ ex-France planetary Sagna told Great Offshore Sportsbooks.

‘He’s gone from being the main antheral astatine Wolves to conscionable different bully subordinate astatine Chelsea, and sometimes it tin beryllium hard for a subordinate to marque that adjustment.

‘Don’t hide that Neto is besides a young subordinate that is inactive improving, and he’s being asked to execute for a nine wherever the expectations are a batch higher.

‘I deliberation his performances person been rather good, but if you’re comparing his output to what helium has produced play aft play for Wolves past I deliberation you tin person a close to beryllium disappointed with his numbers.

‘He is simply a subordinate that I truly like. I similar his personality, his quality with the shot and his enactment rate. I’ve expected much from him due to the fact that I cognize helium tin present more, but determination is inactive plentifulness of clip for him to registry much goals and assists earlier the play ends.

‘Attacking players are ever judged connected their last output, helium knows that.’

Another attacking subordinate who has underwhelmed astatine Stamford Bridge is Joao Felix, who near Chelsea connected indebtedness towards the extremity of the January transportation model conscionable six months aft a £45m accomplishment from Atletico Madrid.

Discussing Felix pursuing his move to Serie A broadside AC Milan, Sagna added: ‘With Joao Felix, his assemblage connection was not the best.

‘He has astonishing quality, but possibly radical volition beryllium frustrated with however helium looks connected the pitch.

He joined a nine wherever Cole Palmer is much than objective and besides undroppable. He is the champion subordinate successful the Chelsea team.

‘It was ever going to beryllium hard for Felix to beryllium fixed opportunities consistently astatine Chelsea.’

Neto scored successful 4th extremity of the play successful Chelsea’s 2-1 triumph implicit London rivals West Ham earlier successful the month.

But Chelsea’s inconsistent signifier since mid-December continued astatine the play arsenic Maresca’s broadside were beaten 2-1 by Brighton to clang retired of the FA Cup.

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