Wolves can find surprise Pedro Neto replacement in academy star
Wolves can find surprise Pedro Neto replacement in academy star
Pedro Neto could be heading out of the exit door after an electric start to the season, with this Academy prospect in line to replace him.
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Wolverhampton Wanderers responded to a disappointing loss at Sheffield United with an enthralling home win over Tottenham Hotspur last time out, Gary O’Neil’s men getting the better of Spurs with two late stoppage time strikes to win 2-1 at Molineux.
This captivating victory was secured without Pedro Neto even being present for the Old Gold, the Portuguese assist king absent for Wolves ever since pulling up with a hamstring injury against Newcastle United.
This injury concern had the potential to completely derail the team overall, Neto notching up an impressive seven assists from ten games before this unfortunate knock was sustained.
His presence was sorely missed in the 2-1 defeat at Bramall Lane, but back in front of the home faithful last time out, Pablo Sarabia stepped up to the mark with an impactful cameo to fill Neto’s void. The Spaniard would help himself to a goal and an assist, that assist drawing him closer to Neto’s total with five.
When Neto is nursed back to full fitness, there will be concerns that Wolves’ number seven could be poached by a bigger club especially if he immediately picks back up from where he left off.
Instead of pursuing a replacement that would break the bank if he was to depart, O’Neil could look towards Owen Hesketh coming through the youth ranks at Molineux as a cost-effective alternative – the 21-year-old midfielder dazzling Premier League 2 defenders with his performances as a playmaker this season.
Hesketh’s statistics at youth level
Operating as a central attacking midfielder primarily, but more than adept to slot in at left wing to fulfill a Neto style role, Hesketh has four goals and one assist from eight Premier League 2 games to date.
It’s not been a standout season that’s come from the blue for the young Wales U21 international however, a regular performer at youth level for Wolves since joining the Academy structure in 2019 from Manchester City.
The 21-year-old even won Academy Player of the Season two years back for his consistently impressive displays, coincidentally winning this accolade in the same year which Pedro Neto picked up the same award for his first-team efforts.
The similarities don’t stop there either, with Hesketh’s weaving runs and ability on the ball to pick out teammates with ice-cold precision bearing a resemblance to Wolves’ star-man at senior level.
Hesketh’s style of play
Carrying a more obvious goalscoring threat than Neto – who had only netted one goal himself before his untimely injury – Hesketh is a far more clinical presence in attack when an opportunity comes his way on top of being a creative spark.
In the EFL Trophy this campaign for the Wolves U21s, Hesketh managed to score against Notts County and didn’t look out of place against the tricky League Two team whatsoever.
Played into space by teammate Owen Farmer, Hesketh showed no nerves to simply feather the ball home for the opening strike of the match at Meadow Lane.
Hesketh was a constant livewire throughout, shades of Neto’s game coming out in his performance particularly in his efforts to evade markers trying to contain him by cleverly timing a perfect run into space – one of those runs nearly paid off with his second goal of the contest, only for the side-netting to intervene.
Labelled as a “talented individual” by Academy manager for football Jon Hunter-Barrett recently after penning a new deal with Wolves, the 21-year-old will hope his time to shine in the first-team picture will come soon.
With Nathan Fraser promoted to the first-team ranks in September – the potent striker at youth level named on the bench by O’Neil versus AFC Bournemouth – Hesketh will pray he’s the next in line for a chance to succeed in the senior squad.
If the Welshman did succeed, he could well be the natural successor for Neto if Wolves’ number seven does decide to move onto pastures new in 2024 – thus saving the club millions after negating the need to seek out a costly replacement.
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