Arsenal have signed goalkeeper Neto from Bournemouth on a season-long loan.
Our writers — experts in transfers, tactics, data and football finance — have come together to rate this summer’s senior Premier League transfers in five categories, with each aspect given a score out of 100 to reach a total score out of 500. Hence, The Athletic 500. The ratings are explained in more detail here (not all transfers will be rated as there may be a lack of data to support an analysis).
Below is our rating for this move.
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Tactical fit: 74/100
A look at how the player fits into his new club tactically, using Sentient Sports’ bespoke tactical-fit model, explained by our tactical expert.
Neto, at 35 years old, brings valuable experience to Arsenal. He excels in shot-stopping and his positioning helps with this, as he can anticipate and react quickly to shots, although this can sometimes be undermined by lapses in judgement.
As shown below, Neto had a strong shot-stopping season for Bournemouth in the Premier League last season, ranking fifth in goals prevented among goalkeepers who played over 1,000 minutes.
However, his decision-making can be inconsistent, particularly his preference for short goal kicks in risky situations, which has led to turnovers and goals. His judgement under these circumstances could be improved to prevent costly errors. Furthermore, Neto has shown some vulnerability in handling crosses and high balls, often opting to punch rather than catch, even when unopposed.
This was shown in a recent fixture against West Ham in August. Tomas Soucek plays a cross into the box and Neto, not under pressure from Niclas Fullkrug, underestimates the flight of the ball and decides to push it out for a throw-in. This decision keeps Bournemouth under pressure instead of claiming the ball and relieving the situation.
Additionally, Neto has sometimes struggled with rebound control. He often directs saves back into dangerous areas rather than out of play or to safer zones. This has allowed opponents to capitalise on rebounds. While he generally handles pressure well, there have been moments where his composure has been tested.
Neto’s ability to distribute the ball offers a reasonable fit with Mikel Arteta’s style of play. He is able to play short passes to defenders or initiate play from deep. However, he is not exceptional at playing out from the back and his tendency to launch goal kicks — though effective for relieving pressure, especially with a 6ft 4in (193cm) target like Kai Havertz — doesn’t fully align with Arteta’s preference for line-breaking passes and methodical ball progression, although given Neto is to be a backup goalkeeper, these limitations may be less of a problem.
Gillian Kasirye
Season rating: 56/100
Rating the player over the course of last season, using statistics from The Athletic’s data team.
Neto played 32 league games last season, conceding 55 goals.
He delivered some very good performances, such as in the away win against Luton Town in April and the thrilling 2-2 draw against Sheffield United in March, where he kept Bournemouth in the game.
His leadership and saves helped the club finish 12th in 2023-24, an improvement from their 15th-place finish in the 2022-23 season.
Gillian Kasirye
Gaming rating: 75/100
Rating the player according to Football Manager 2024’s data across both current and potential ability.
Neto is an astute addition who will slot in well as Arsenal’s No 2, providing cover without serious competition for David Raya, according to Football Manager.
Neto’s current ability rating on FM24 is 143, which ranks him below Raya (152) in Arsenal’s goalkeeper depth chart. Intriguingly, despite Ramsdale attracting a significant fee from Southampton, Neto is close behind the English stopper, who has a rating of 148. However, Ramsdale has a significantly higher potential rating (160).
Having turned 35 last month, it seems unlikely that Neto will improve considerably during his season at the Emirates, but Sports Interactive’s extensive scouting network believes there could be more to come from the one-time Brazil international. Neto has a potential ability rating of 156, which, should he reach it, would make him Arsenal’s best goalkeeper. Still, given he is expected to assume the role of Raya’s backup, the chances of seeing him realise his potential in north London are slim.
Elias Burke
Financial value rating: 70/100
A four-category summary of the player’s transfer in financial terms — and whether it makes sense for his new club
Market value — 22/25
Neto offers Premier League experience and suitability under Mikel Arteta without Arsenal needing to pay a transfer fee. While they will pick up his wages and may pay a small loan fee to Bournemouth, signing a player with pedigree and quality under these terms is good business.
Squad cost — 24/25
Neto is a far more cost-efficient backup option to Raya than Aaron Ramsdale, who signed a big contract in May 2023, only months before the former Brentford goalkeeper replaced him. Neto is a useful signing that makes sense for the north Londoners.
Contract sensibility — 24/25
A season-long loan deal limits any potential burden in signing Neto permanently, who at 35 may be entering his twilight years at the top level. It gives Arsenal a year to find their ideal backup to Raya in the market while offering the protection of an experienced player should their No 1 suffer an injury or a loss of form.
Resale value — 0/25
It’s a season-long loan deal without an option or obligation to buy, so Arsenal retain no sell-on value.
Elias Burke
Risk or reward? 80/100
Is there a history of injury or other problems that could crop up and make this deal a bad one in retrospect? Or does the player come with a clean bill of health? Our expert takes a look.
Given the circumstances, this is as close as Arsenal could get to ideal.
Neto joins the north London club with the awareness he will be Raya’s backup, eliminating any potential adverse effects of a player fighting for a starting position. However, should Raya suffer an injury or loss of form, Neto has the Premier League experience and pedigree of playing for big clubs, such as Juventus, to step into the position as a solid short-term option.
Some questions remain about his ability to contribute to the build-up play, a crucial aspect of Arteta’s coaching plan with Arsenal. Due to his limitations in this area, Andoni Iraola likely replaced him with Kepa Arrizabalaga at Bournemouth. However, given the short window to find an alternative to Ramsdale, it is a risk Arsenal will be content to take.
Neto has been sidelined for 14 matches over the past two seasons, a curiously large number of games for a goalkeeper. Should that trend continue, it would leave Arsenal extremely light in cover for Raya. Still, that is more of a reflection of the club’s inability to get business done elsewhere than of Neto’s capabilities. Overall, Arsenal will be pleased with this low-risk signing.
Elias Burke
Overall rating: 355/500
(Top photo: Getty Images; design: Eamonn Dalton)
