Barcelona winger and Manchester United target, Pedro Rodriguez, has reportedly come a step closer to joining the Manchester club. It is believed that Pedro has said his goodbyes to his Barcelona team-mates as he prepares for his move to England; this comes just days after he scored the winning goal in the UEFA Super Cup to clinch the title for the Catalans. Pedro has been heavily linked with the Red Devils through the course of transfer window, with the main stumbling block being the supposed fee of the transfer. Barcelona are holding out for £22 million, however Manchester United have reportedly offered £17.8 million plus add-ons over a number of years.
Before the Super Cup fixture, Barcelona’s technical secretary Robert Fernandez confirmed that Pedro had asked to leave the club, however Pedro denied this. The player was asked about his situation regarding the transfer speculation after the match, Sevilla and he said: “No, the answer is no. It’s not a situation of money, but minutes. I’m ambitious, I always want to be the best, we will see what happens. Whether I go or stay I’ll always be with this team. I was disappointed because I had more options without Neymar there.” Pedro’s disappointment was clear during Barcelona’s celebrations when he clearly stood away from the team looking disengaged.
It has been reported that Chelsea and Manchester City were also interested in capturing Pedro’s signature, however his preferred destination is understood to definitely be Manchester United.
The deal is all but confirmed with United manager Louis Van Gaal having made clear that Manchester United are definitely interested but the final decision belongs to the player himself. Pedro has reportedly been offered a starting role at Manchester United and will be utilised on the right wing with Memphis Depay playing on the left wing and Wayne Rooney playing in the centre in a 4-3-3 formation.
Last season Pedro managed to score six goals and contribute six assists from 15 starts. Only the departed Angel Di Maria was able to register more assists, and if Pedro was to get more playing time he could prove to be a vital part of the Red Devil’s season.
