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Pedri only arrived at Barcelona in the summer from Las Palmas but has already seen his transfer value double in his short time with the club.
The 17-year-old was valued at €7.2 million ($8.4m) before the season started but is now worth €15 million ($17m), according to Transfermarkt.
As highlighted by Sport, Pedri is also now the fifth most expensive player under the age of 18. He’s behind only team-mate Ansu Fati (€80m), Eduardo Camavinga (€37.5m), Jude Bellingham (€27m) and Lyon’s Rayan Cherki (€18m).
Pedri has not even started a competitive game yet for Barcelona. However, he has been used as a substitute in all three La Liga matches against Villarreal, Celta and Sevilla.
Barcelona announced they had reached agreement to sign Pedri from Las Palmas in September 2019. The Catalan giants agreed a fee of just €5m, while his release clause is set at a massive €400m.
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Koeman Convinced By Pedri
New manager Ronald Koeman already appears convinced by Pedri. The Dutch coach has opted to bring the youngster on ahead of Ousmane Dembele in the early weeks of the season which speaks volumes about his trust in the teenager.
The Dutch coach has also been quick to praise his new arrival in a recent interview with Barca TV.
“Pedri and Trincão have been working since day 1, performing well. Pedri is only 17 and I love how he is working, training and playing. Trincão is also adapting quickly to our ideas, and he is a young player with a great future ahead of him.”
Ferran Martinez at Mundo Deportivo has reported that Koeman has already been convinced by his talent, work-rate and “ability to understand everything that is asked of him from the coaching staff.”
Barca will have to nurture Pedri’s talent carefully, but it’s easy to see why the club and supporters are excited about the potential of the young Spain star.
Pedri’s Versatility a Big Plus
The teenager’s versatility is also a big plus for the Catalan giants. The midfielder can play out wide or through the middle, and he’s told the club’s media it’s important to be flexible.
“I feel comfortable playing in the hole, although it’s true that I’ve played on the wing -on both sides. It’s good to be versatile. That’s important for a player, because it means the coach can use you in other positions. Passing football is my best virtue. My aim is to make the others play, and enjoy playing football.”
Pedri’s ability to play in a variety of roles is likely to help him in his debut season at the Camp Nou. It’s unlikely he will be a regular in Koeman’s starting XI in 2020-21 just yet, but he will give the Dutchman plenty of options as a substitute if the boss is looking to switch things up.
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