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Football

11th Aug 2015

Manchester United’s pursuit of Pedro has taken yet another big twist

Big news from Tblisi

Kevin McGillicuddy

He’s going to Stoke!

Only kidding.

Barcelona faced Sevilla in the Super Cup on Tuesday night, and Luis Enrique had to rejig his team before kick off after one of his players reportedly told the manager he wants to leave.

And that player just happens to be one of Manchester United’s biggest summer targets.

According to various reports, Barcelona club secretary Robert Fernandez revealed on Spanish television that Pedro wants to leave the club.  “He’s told me he wants to leave. But we want him to stay,” Fernandez said.

Pedro was named on the bench in Tblisi, but it’s starting to seem highly likely that this game will be the last time he togs out in Barcelona colours (unless he heads back there next summer having horribly failed to settle in Manchester, but let’s not get into that now).

So naturally the hype machine kicked into overdrive as rumours of his imminent departure to Old Trafford took off.

But then Marca dropped a clusterbomb into proceedings as they reported that another Premier League club is interested in his services.

Oh, and that club just happens to be Manchester City.

The newspaper are reporting that the club will be willing to meet the €30m demanded and are feeling so generous that they may as well throw another €2m into the pot just for good measure.

“Txiki Begiristain contacted the Catalan club to express an interest in the striker and has not ruled out making an official bid for him in the next couple of days.”

“That offer would be upwards of United’s bid of €26m plus €4m in add-ons, or the €30m that Barcelona would initially accept to let Pedro leave the club. City appear to be ready to offer €30m plus €2m in add-ons.”

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