Barcelona Have Better Options Than Chelsea's Pedro in the Transfer Market
Despite being on international duty with Spain at UEFA Euro 2016 this summer, Chelsea's wide forward Pedro Rodriguez seems to be intent on sorting his club future as soon as possible, with a move back to former club Barcelona looking a possibility.
BeIN Sports (h/t Sky Sports' Nick Lustig) reported Pedro has already spoken to the Catalan side about a return, and the 28-year-old said: "It's complicated, but I've always said that I would like to retire at Barcelona. However, I know it's difficult because the years go by and the club has the best players in the world. It is a very demanding club, and to return is complicated."
It's easy to think Pedro would thrive after a return to the club he won so many trophies with and that the team would benefit from having him back. But in truth, it would be a disappointing move for both and is a transfer that shouldn't be considered, this summer at least.
From the point of view of Barcelona, there are much better options available—financially as well as in terms of on-pitch production—where they should look to invest first.
The clamour to return
This isn't the first time Pedro has been linked with a quick return to the Camp Nou, despite only leaving 12 months ago. In January, after a difficult start to life at Chelsea, it was suggested by the Daily Star (h/t Samuel Stevens of The Independent) that he was available to return to La Liga, and despite eventually scoring nine goals in 43 games, he didn't enjoy a campaign to remember.
Chelsea were poor, Jose Mourinho was sacked and there was neither silverware to enjoy nor Champions League qualification to look forward to for 2016-17, while Pedro himself played fewer than 2,800 minutes— over 1,000 fewer than attacking-midfield team-mate Willian.
Pedro's quotes naturally show his affection for the club, and there's no reason for that to change, but they also highlight why he left in the first place.
"I have already spoken about it with the president (Josep Maria Bartomeu) when we (Barcelona) were in the (Cup) final (when Barcelona beat Sevilla 2-0 last month) and spoke to all the people who want me there.
[...]
I had been 11 or 12 years in Barcelona, my family is from there and also many friends. The fans loved me, I felt very valued around the club, and it's always hard to leave the club of your dreams.
But I have explained before in the end I had to take this decision because I saw that the possibilities (of playing) were low.
"
Those "who want" Pedro there include some of the players; Jordi Alba said it was "vital for the team" that Pedro returned, per ESPN FC's Liam Twomey, but the defender didn't elaborate on exactly what Pedro would bring to a side who won the domestic double again last season.
It's a little reminiscent of when the Spain squad that won the FIFA World Cup in 2010 comprised of a huge volume of Barca players: Gerard Pique, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Carles Puyol, Sergio Busquets, Victor Valdes and the soon-to-be-Barca forward David Villa all joined Pedro in that squad.
The current Spain side at the Euros has only four Blaugrana players involved—though there's no news on how reported Barca signing, per Marca's Xavi Hernandez and Ramiro Aldunate, and one-cap Spain international attacker Denis Suarez feels about a return for Pedro.
The suspicion must be that the 22-year-old is not quite as enthusiastic.
Accepting regression
As poetic as a return to former glories might sound, it's hard to envisage Pedro having anything like the impact now that he managed when he initially broke into the side, or even in the years since.
It's normal for players, even top players, to have a poor year from time to time in terms of both form and output, but how long does the decline have to go on for until it's accepted and acknowledged as a regression of the player rather than just struggling to find his feet?
He netted seven league goals last term, six in his final campaign at Barca and has only reached a dozen strikes once in the last four years. Nobody would go so far as to say Pedro is finished as a top-tier player, but he certainly hasn't shown anything like the consistency and effectiveness that was hoped of him from his first two or three years at the Camp Nou.
Pedro isn't a winger, he's a wide forward—a player intended as a goalscoring threat from the flanks thanks to his runs through the channels, between defenders and into the area.
He's fast but not lightning, and he has a good touch but doesn't dribble incessantly at full-backs. Without that confidence and reliability in scoring goals and laying on chances as a result of his movement, Pedro's effectiveness is drastically reduced.
Needs of both
Pedro left Barca for Chelsea a year ago, citing a need and a desire to play more frequently, which wasn't likely to happen at the Camp Nou after dropping well behind Neymar, Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi in the front three.
As a wide forward, Pedro was directly up against the Brazilian and the Argentinian for game time, and he lost that battle by some distance in 14-15. And last season, 15-16, the MSN front line were even better, linked even more impressively and further established themselves as the game's leading triumvirate in attack.
Pedro is, as a result, even further from being able to dislodge one of them on anything like a regular basis.
Each played over 4,200 minutes last season for Barca, and they'll do so again this coming year—barring injury—with the back-ups only rotating in as subs for low-profile games or in the cups.
Is Pedro now suddenly content with fewer minutes? Or, another year from now, is he to repeat the trick of looking elsewhere? Barcelona need a reliable, consistent attacker—one who can score, but also one who accepts they are either less experienced or of a lower reputation than the first-choice front three.
Pedro wasn't able to do so beforehand, so why rely on him to provide what the team needs now after a relatively poor year of his own?
And the forward himself noted that game time was hard to come by, so why imagine it won't be in 16-17?
Best fits
Barcelona don't have to look far for alternatives.
The chase for Nolito's signature goes on, with Pique recently telling Al Primer Toque (h/t ESPN FC) that the Celta Vigo man would be a "bargain" judging by the current market prices for players—Marca's Sergi Font suggested his release is around €18 million.
Chelsea paid around €27 million for Pedro a year ago, and there's no indication that his value would be significantly lower now.
Elsewhere, Denis Suarez will sign for only €3.5 million, Valencia signed Santi Mina a year ago for €10 million and, although we suggested he'd be a poor choice of signing for Barca, Hatem Ben Arfa is available on a free.
The value is very much out there to find and take advantage of, without resorting to those who have already served the club well but fallen short in the matter of constant progression.
With Denis, a fit Rafinha and Arda Turan staying, there is versatility and creativity in the attacking midfield line who can also play wide in the front line for Barca. Add a centre-forward—preferably who can also feature wide—to back up Luis Suarez, and Luis Enrique should have his complete squad for the final third.
For Pedro, though, his time at the Camp Nou has come and gone, and he has nothing new left to add to the squad that will once more attempt to challenge for a treble next term.
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