The profile needed to play wing-back is unique.It requires a mix between the characteristics of a full-back and a winger — and that is hard to find.Converting a full-back or a winger into a wing-back is easier said than done, because they may lack the attacking or defensive skill set to operate in that role. In addition, the positional sense required of a wing-back is another obstacle to overcome.Chelsea’s then head coach Antonio Conte produced a masterstroke when he did this with Victor Moses in 2016-17. Moses, the Nigeria international former Crystal Palace winger, was switched to a wing-back and was superb as Conte’s team won the Premier League title that season.A decade later, Chelsea may be witnessing another transformation under Xabi Alonso.Pedro Neto’s move from winger to wing-back in pre-season was put into practice in the 4-3 home win against Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday, and it paid dividends.Neto started at right wing-back, dropping next to Wesley Fofana to form a back five when Chelsea were defending deep, then occupying a higher position when they were in a 4-4-2 by the halfway line. However, in the latter phase, he tracked back when Brighton tried to build up from their right side, to be able to defend the switch of play and allow Fofana to operate in his right centre-back zone.Throughout his 68 minutes on the pitch, Neto was aware of his defensive duties and prevented Brighton from overloading or stretching Fofana. But it is on the attacking side where his qualities made the difference from the first whistle.His threat down the right flank resulted in the corner from which Romeo Lavia scored the game’s opening goal after four minutes.In the sequence below, Neto plays the ball to Morgan Rogers, dummies a move towards the byline and quickly attacks the space inside to trick Brighton’s left-back, Ferdi Kadioglu.After distancing himself from Kadioglu, Neto continues to advance and receives the return pass from Rogers, before his cross is blocked by Lewis Dunk.Neto’s smart off-ball movement was the catalyst behind his goal to double the lead in the 14th minute.In the build-up, Jorrel Hato plays a throw-in to Joao Pedro as Rogers takes a couple of steps forward to receive the flick-on. Meanwhile, Neto is isolated against Kadioglu on the far side and starts his run when Rogers receives the ball.Joao Pedro’s role on the throw-in moves centre-back Dunk out of position, creating a gap in Brighton’s defensive line, which is made vulnerable by the flick towards Rogers.As the England international is dribbling past Luka Vuskovic, Neto dashes into the penalty area from Kadioglu’s blind side, and cleverly changes his direction to attack the central gap the moment his team-mate plays the cutback.In this wing-back role, Neto’s pace and ability to go up and down the pitch make him a threat in counter-attacking situations.In our next example from yesterday, he starts his run on the far side as Rogers finds Hato to begin a counter-attack.Initially, Neto is a good distance behind Kadioglu as Hato is carrying the ball forward, but by the time Chelsea’s left wing-back reaches the edge of Brighton’s penalty area, he is bypassing his man at the back post.Hato’s pass finds Joao Pedro and the centre-forward scores to make it 3-0, but Neto is also in position to strike at the back post if the ball is played to him instead.The timing of Neto’s bursts of acceleration is another aspect which makes him a threat from his new position.Here, Chelsea are attacking down their left, with Joao Pedro dashing into the space behind centre-backs Dunk and Vuskovic.When Hato finds his centre-forward, Neto starts a run to be a threat inside the penalty area. He maintains his speed, but accelerates towards the back post when he spots Joao Pedro dribbling inside, and there’s a potential passing angle.Unfortunately for Neto, the Brazil striker does not play the pass.Neto smartly used his pace and body to get the better of Kadioglu in two other isolated situations, creating a chance for Joao Pedro in the 25th minute and coming close to scoring again in the 58th.The 26-year-old has attracted transfer interest this summer, with Chelsea asking for around £100million.When Alonso was asked about Neto’s future, he did not guarantee he’ll stay, but his broader comments seemed telling.“I was very happy with Pedro (today),” he said in his post-match press conference. “He did really well. He played with a lot of energy. He is going to be very important for the team for the whole season because he has special qualities. He is a threat in one-v-one, he attacks the spaces very well, he is strong and competitive.”As a natural winger, Neto can allow Alonso to manipulate Chelsea’s shape during a match or in different phases of play, as was the case against Brighton.The profiles of Chelsea’s other wing-backs lean more towards the defensive side. Neto offers them something different at that position.