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Barcelona starlet Pedri has warned he has received some “very interesting proposal” from clubs in the Bundesliga and that his priority for the 2020-21 season is “to play.”
The highly-rated 17-year-old will arrive at the Camp Nou in the summer after an impressive spell in the Segunda Division with Las Palmas. Pedri spoke to Sport’s Toni Juanmarti about his future and admitted he has received some tempting offers without even kicking a ball for Barcelona.
“The priority is to play. There have been some very interesting proposals from Bundesliga sides, who are insisting they want to take me (on loan). Barça know about this. Those clubs believe I could be an important part of their team and gain experience.
“I hope that Barça B go up because a year in the Segunda is good for your development as a youngster, just like I did this year with Las Palmas. But what I want is to play and succeed at Barça and if the club doesn’t feel I’m ready, the best option is to go out on loan.”
Yet Pedri also made it clear that his priority is to stay at Barcelona and try to force his way into the first team under manager Quique Setien.
“I want to get there and impress. I’ll do everything possible to stay here. If it was up to me, we’d start training tomorrow morning. My dream is to succeed at Barça and I want to say: ‘Here I am. I want to play for Barça – and not just during the preseason.’ I’ll work as hard as anyone else but remain grounded at the same time. I know I must be true to myself.”
Pedri has been likened to Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta by Las Palmas boss Pepe Mel. He told Goal‘s Ignasi Oliva Gispert that the youngster “will fit perfectly at Barcelona.”
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German Clubs Want Pedri
Bundesliga clubs Borussia Mönchengladbach and Bayern Munich are both interested in a move for Pedri, according to Sky Germany.
Max Eberl, sporting director of Gladbach, was asked about a possible loan and replied: “We want to and will try to work out and implement creative solutions.”
However, Mel has advised Barcelona to keep hold of the youngster and not send him out on loan.
“I said goodbye to Pedri as if I would see him more here (next season) but it is not up to us or him. We’ll be optimistic but if I was Barca coach I would keep him because when he gets the ball and they see how he links up, they will find he’s got a lot to offer and is at a fantastic level.”
Pedri is likely to get more minutes at a club such as Gladbach but may find competition for places as fierce at Bayern as it is in Barcelona.
What Can Barcelona Expect From Pedri?
Pedri made 36 appearances for Las Palmas in 2019-20, scoring four times, and outshining his more experienced team-mates.
Pedri compared to his UD Las Palmas team-mates in the Segunda División this season:
• Most minutes played
• Most shots assisted
• Most big chances created
• Most dribbles completed
• Third-most goal contributions
A 17-year-old in his first senior season.
The youngster has the ability to play out wide or in a more central position and also spoke to Juanmarti about where he prefers to play.
“ll play where the coach tells me to. The most important thing is to play but I have to admit that playing more centrally is where I feel the most comfortable.”
Barcelona have a big decision to make over Pedri during the summer and will need to decide whether to keep him with the first team next season or send him out on loan to continue his development.
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