Account
Chelsea Transfer News: Pedro Comments on Potential Return to Barcelona
June 15, 2016
Chelsea forward Pedro has confessed he has spoken to Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu about a return to the Camp Nou just one year after leaving Catalonia for west London.
Spanish newspaper Sport provided a transcription of Pedro's recent interview with beIN Sports, where he admits although "it's hard" to facilitate a transfer, he wants to return to his roots (h/t Simon Johnson of the London Evening Standard):
Hopefully (I can return to Barcelona) but I know it's hard.
I have already spoken about it with the president when we were at the (Cup) final (when Barcelona beat Sevilla 2-0 last month) and spoke to all the people who want me there.
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. But I do not rule it out either.
Like many of those at Stamford Bridge, the Spain international endured a rocky 2015-16 campaign with Chelsea, his first in the Premier League, and a homecoming may already be on the horizon.
Pedro went on to state he had to move because he "saw that the possibilities (of playing) were low," but following the Blues' 10th-place finish in the Premier League, Barca may look all the more appealing.
Pedro joined Chelsea in a deal worth £19 million least summer but struggled to find his feet in England's top flight, first under sacked manager Jose Mourinho and then under interim chief Guus Hiddink.
Yahoo's Andrew Gaffney highlighted his incredulity to see the 28-year-old included in manager Vicente del Bosque's Spain squad for Euro 2016 despite his fall in form:
Despite his failure to fit in at Chelsea, however, Pedro did manage to score seven goals in 29 Premier League appearances, five of which came in the second half of the season, where the whole team showed improvement.
But with three years remaining on his Blues contract, it's uncertain as to whether Barcelona will have the funds or the desire necessary to re-sign their former player.
Pedro struggled to get first-team minutes with the likes of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez patrolling the attacking areas, and it doesn't seem any of the trio are likely to move this summer.
The speedster scored 99 goals in 321 appearances for Barca during his seven-year tenure in the first team, and he knows how the club works to a tee.
Bleacher Report's Rik Sharma illustrated as much after he had a hand in Spain's 1-0 winner against the Czech Republic on Monday:
What's more, Chelsea will presumably hope to recoup as much of their £19 million outlay as possible if they're to sell the winger, and Goal's Ignasi Oliva reported in February that Barca's transfer funds are currently dry.
Incoming Chelsea boss Antonio Conte will undoubtedly look to run the rule over the player before he decides who remains at Stamford Bridge this summer, but Pedro's motives look certain.