Transfer News: £15m Attacker To Snub Interest From Arsenal & Chelsea

With the summer transfer window finally open for business, managers are working hard trying to strengthen their squads ahead of next season so we’ll bring you all the news and gossip. Today, Pedro is set to stay at Barcelona….

Spanish winger Pedro Rodriguez has snubbed interest from the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea after telling boss Luis Enrique he wants to stay at Barcelona this summer, according to the Mirror.

Pedro has been at Barca his entire professional career having joined the club as a teenager but he’s struggled for regular game-time in recent years with the likes of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez all well ahead of him in the pecking order.

The Spanish international made just nine starts following Suarez’s return from his ban in October last year and the lack of regular action has led to speculation the 27-year-old could be on the move this summer – despite the fact he signed a new deal last month.

It looked like Pedro could be heading to the Premier League as the Mirror claim that Arsenal and Chelsea were among the clubs showing a keen interest in doing a deal for the £15m-rated attacker, with the Telegraph even reporting that the Gunners had opened talks over a potential deal.

However, it appears the Spaniard is ready to snub the English duo’s advances as the Mirror suggest that Pedro has told boss Luis Enrique that he wants to stay at the Nou Camp and fight for his first team place.

That news will come as a major blow to Arsenal and Chelsea as Pedro would have bee an excellent signing had one of the clubs been able to pull it off. Despite his bit-part role, he’s still managed to score 98 goals and provide a further 63 assists in 318 appearances for Barca, so he’d certainly have been a huge threat in the final third.

READ MORE –> Arsenal transfer news | Chelsea transfer news

He’s predominantly played from the right wing but is capable of playing anywhere across the front three, including through the middle as a striker, so he’d have given Arsene Wenger or Jose Mourinho plenty of options in attack.

However, it looks like he’s set to stay at the Nou Camp and I must admit I’m a little surprised by the decision, particularly with the European Championships coming up next summer, as he’s almost certainly going to continue as nothing more than an impact sub and the lack of regular action will harm his chances of starting for Spain.