After United’s 3-1 win over San Jose Earthquakes in the early hours of Wednesday morning, manager Louis van Gaal stated that the “surprise” signing he previously mentioned is not a striker:
“I have read in the media a striker is the surprise. That’s not right. It’s something else”.
Of course, this leaves many options – a goalkeeper, a centre-back and a winger are all needed – so which is it?
Spanish newspaper AS claim to have the answer – it’s Pedro of Barcelona, who has been linked for quite some time. The publication claim that a deal which could potentially be worth up to €30,000,000 has been agreed between the two clubs and the 2010 World Cup winner could join the Red Devils as early as this week.
They mention that Luis Enrique has already talked about Pedro’s frustration at constantly being on the bench or the Catalan club and this has made it easier for Louis van Gaal to convince him to make the switch to Old Trafford, where he would find himself some more regular football and some fellow Spaniards in David de Gea, Juan Mata and Ander Herrera – as well as Spanish speakers in Marcos Rojo, Angel di Maria, Antonio Valencia and Javier Hernandez.
Pedro doesn’t get the game time a winger of his quality would expect but it is for good cause – the trio he competes with are Luis Suarez, Neymar Jr and Lionel Messi, a trident which could keep almost anyone out of a starting eleven.
His main competition at United would come in the shape of Juan Mata, who seems to have made the wide-right position his own, with either Ashley Young or Memphis Depay playing on the left wing. The Spaniard would still have to work hard to hold down a starting spot but he might see more rotation at United than at Barcelona.
The transfer fee being reported by AS equates to around £16m, with £4m of add-ons – making him cheaper than Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino and less than half the price of Manchester City’s new recruit, Raheem Sterling; Pedro could be a bargain.
