Barcelona manager Luis Enrique says attacker Pedro Rodriguez is free to leave the Nou Camp but only if a club meets his buy-out clause.
The 27-year-old has been linked with a move to the Premier League and Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea all rumoured to be interested.
Enrique, speaking after the Blaugrana defeated LA Galaxy 2-1 in a pre-season friendly yesterday, confirmed he has held talks with Pedro regarding his future at the club.
“I’ve said that if Pedro goes it will be when someone has paid his clause,” the Barca boss told Spanish newspaper Marca.
“If that doesn’t happen, it will be difficult. I have spoken with Pedro. I told him what I think and he told me what he thinks.
“When the player makes a decision something will happen. The decision belongs to Pedro.”
According to reports in Spain, Manchester United are still very much in the mix for the Spain international and have set aside €30 million (Dh120m) to secure his signature this summer.
Pedro’s buy-out clause is said to be around that figure, down from the €150m (Dh600m) fee that was inserted into his contract in 2011.
Meanwhile, on the pitch goals from Luis Suarez and Sergi Roberto lifted Barca to a 2-1 victory over the Galaxy and Enrique is pleased with his side’s encouraging start to the European champions’ North American tour.
Uruguay international Suarez came out on top in a clash with former Liverpool team-mate Steven Gerrard – the Galaxy’s latest acquisition from Europe.
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His 45th-minute strike and Roberto’s 56th-minute goal ensured that even without such stars as Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Brazilian Neymar – let off the pre-season tour after Copa America duty – Barcelona got the win their dominant performance deserved in front of 93,226 fans at Pasadena’s Rose Bowl.
It was the largest crowd ever to watch a match featuring a Major League Soccer club.
“Based on what a first game of the pre-season looks like, considering we’ve only had about seven days of practice, a lot of travelling, overall I feel very positive,” the coach said.
“Overall, our players look good.”
Barcelona, preparing to defend their La Liga, Copa Del Rey and Champions League treble, effectively neutralized any threat from Gerrard and Galaxy teammate Robbie Keane, while pressing relentlessly themselves.
They were finally rewarded in the 45th minute when Suarez fired a left-footed shot past Galaxy keeper Brian Rowe after Rafinha’s deflected cross was moved on by Marc Bartra.
Suarez had been off-target from the center of the area in the 11th and from long range in the 23rd, while Rowe made a diving save of Roberto’s attempt from outside the box in the 35th.
“I’m happy with the way the team played, with the level, the intensity,” Luis Enrique said, while stressing that “everything can be better.”
