Manchester
United have dropped all interest in Barcelona forward Pedro amid reported
interest from Chelsea, according to Sky sources.
Spanish newspaper
Marca have reported that the Blues have met the
Spain international's £21.4m buy-out clause and that the player is already
in London for a medical.
Sources in Manchester understand that United had the option of signing Pedro
earlier in the window and they would have done so had it been possible.
But
Sky Sports' Spanish football expert Guillem Balague reported as
recently as Tuesday that Pedro had already agreed personal terms with United
and that the 28-year-old was just waiting for the clubs to agree on a
transfer fee, despite interest from Manchester City.
United's chief executive Ed Woodward is understood to have been in Barcelona
for talks on Tuesday, and it is believed the Catalonians would not budge
from the release clause, which was never met by United.
And the Spanish press have subsequently reported that Chelsea have moved
quickly in an attempt to wrap up a deal for Pedro from right under
Manchester United's noses.
Sky Sports first reported United's interest on August 6 and Barca boss Luis
Enrique subsequently admitted that his player's future was in question as
they stepped up their pre-season preparations.
Barcelona were keen to keep Pedro and offered him a new contract, but they
could not give him the assurances he needed over regular first-team football
and he has sought a move away from the Nou Camp.
United manager Louis van Gaal said on August 14 that the ball was in Pedro's
court but, according to Balague, Van Gaal has recently pulled the plug on
the deal himself.
Balague said: "United do not want to pay what Barcelona want because Van
Gaal decided, despite contact with the player, that he was now not needed."
Pedro has featured in Barcelona's three most recent games in the UEFA Super
Cup and the two-legged Spanish Super Cup, which the Catalonians lost to
Athletic Bilbao.
But they beat Sevilla 5-4 after extra time to clinch the UEFA Super Cup on
August 11.
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