You’d imagine this would be an easy transfer situation to resolve.
Manchester United are in the market for a new forward. Pedro can’t get into the Barcelona starting XI, has a buy-out clause of €30 million and the club have told him he’s free to leave.
So United can just pay the fee, agree personal terms with Pedro and everyone’s happy, right?
However, according to The Daily Mail, it’s not quite that simple.
United are reportedly haggling with Barca over the €30 million buy-out clause, having offered €24.92, and a further €5 million in add-ons for the 27 year old winger.
“Pedro is in a difficult situation. He’s a player who wants to stay but also wants more minutes. All the fans understand the Pedro situation,” Barcelona manager Luis Enrique said this week.
“Nothing has changed yet, but it will change.”
Presumably when United chose to pay the player’s buy-out clause and end this transfer saga.
Nicolas Otamendi is another player linked with a transfer to United, and the Valencia defender isn’t sitting on the fence in the manner of Pedro.
Otamendi is reportedly so desperate to move to Old Trafford, he’s asked to be excused from Valencia training, as he’s not in the right frame of mind to train, according to AS.
The 27 year old is also a reported target for Manchester City, and it could get awkward for him around the Mestalla if either move fails to materialise before the end of the window
If your club could do with reinforcement at left-back, you could probably do worse than Ashley Cole.
The 34 year old is currently looking for a new club, after having the final year of his two year deal at Roma terminated. The former England defender only made 11 Serie A appearances last season, and is not part of manager Rudi Garcia’s plans.
If QPR were still in the Premier League, and Harry Redknapp still manager, Cole would be certain to be at Loftus Road next season.
We’re surprised Cole didn’t do well in Italy, he appeared to be fitting in fine with his teammates.
Finally, Lucas could be on his way out of Liverpool, according to former teammate Jamie Carragher.
The Sky Sports pundit says Lucas, who was left of Liverpool’s matchday squad for the trip to Stoke City last weekend, doesn’t take kindly to being ommitted, and that the emergence of 21 year Emre Can may force the Brazilian to end his time at Anfield.
“I do think it’s difficult to find a place for him in the team at the moment. I think Emre Can has to be next in line, ahead of Lucas, because of the age difference [Lucas is 28, Can is 21] and the feeling within the club that he’s a classy player with a big future.
“I think he would be the better option now because [even if] he’s not ideally suited yet to the holding midfield role, he’s a good young player so you want to keep him involved and keep him happy by giving him games.”
Inter Milan and Juventus are both reportedly interested in the midfielder.
