Journalist Dean Jones believes that Pedro Neto won’t start for Wolves anytime soon as Bruno Lage isn’t one to take risks.
Neto has been sidelined due to injury this campaign and has featured just three times in the Premier League, according to Transfermarkt.
The Portuguese winger was a regular in the Wolves side last campaign, he featured 31 times and scored five goals.
Wolves have struggled in front of goal this season and only Norwich City and Burnley have scored fewer than their 24 goals.
Jones told GIVEMESPORT that he isn’t sure that Lage is willing to “risk” starting Neto if he is not fully fit at this stage of the season.
He said: “He [Lage] doesn’t really take risks, so it seems a bit unlikely. He seems to have such well thought out ideas and methods for his game plans that I’m not sure if he’s going to take a risk on anyone at this stage of the season.”
TIF Thoughts on Pedro Neto and the comments from Dean Jones…
Pedro Neto was vital for Wolves last season and received praise from pundits, including Alan Shearer who described the Portuguese winger as: “A huge talent who is having a fine season. He changed the game and scored a great goal,” after a game against Southampton.
Wolves could certainly do with some of Neto’s magic in the final third at the moment as they have a good chance of pushing for a European place come the end of the season.
It may be deemed as a smart move from Wolves boss Lage not to play Neto a huge amount in the remainder of the season, to ensure that he is fully fit and ready to go next campaign, rather than him potentially picking up another knock which could see him sidelined even further.
However, on the flip-side, he could be the difference when it comes down to potentially getting a European spot if he manages to rediscover some of last season’s form.