The truth about Pedro Rodriguez's 'return' to Barcelona
Pedro Rodriguez has left the door open to a possible return to FC Barcelona while with the Spain team in the Isla de Re.
The player gave an interview to Achraf Ben Ayad of beIN Sports, saying he "would not rule out a return to Barça" and adding that he spoke with Josep Maria Bartomeu at the Copa del Rey final about the possibility of it happening. Pedro's return would be a boost on a sporting level for Luis Enrique, but SPORT sources feel the chances of it happening are slim.
The first and main reason is due to money. Chelsea paid 30 million euros for the forward last summer and would only sell for a similar amount. Barça would not contemplate paying a high figure for the player, as has been seen in the Nolito case, with the club considering the Celta Vigo man's 18 million euros release clause as excessive.
On a sporting level there would also be difficulties. Luis Enrique would be delighted to have Pedro back, but he would not promise him a better role than the one he had previously - which was one of the reasons he left Barça. Pedro would be the fourth forward behind Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez. The Spain international would have to be happy with playing less minutes than he'd like, which would be a factor in his decision.
In this regard, Pedro knows that he has the confidence of Antonio Conte, who is set to take over as manager at Stamford Bridge. The Italian spoke with him before Euro 2016 and transmitted his faith in his ability. Minutes and relevance are much more assured in London than in Barcelona.
