Former Barcelona star Eric Abidal has called on Pedro to snub the Premier League and remain at the Catalan giants.
Both Chelsea and Arsenal have been heavily linked with a move for the 27-year-old, however it is the Blues that are believed to be in pole position to land the Spanish international.
Pedro on Monday publicly admitted he had received offers from clubs, but it is not yet known if any of the interested clubs had matched the player’s £21m release clause.
“It’s true, we agreed to reduce the value of the buyout clause and it’s true there are offers,” Pedro is quoted as saying by Sky Sports.
“I don’t want to think about the future, I want to rest, remain calm, start pre-season on Wednesday with the squad and we will see what happens after that.”
Pedro is a much-loved figure in Barcelona, however, the Spanish international was used mostly as a substitute due to the front three of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez firing the club to the treble.
Abidal will become the club’s sporting director if Joan Laporta wins Barcelona’s upcoming presidential election, and the Frenchman says he will attempt to keep hold of Pedro.
“Players such as Pedro cannot be allowed to go,” he told AS, as reported by Daily Express.
“I know him as a player but also as a person. He is a player who fits into the first team very well.
“Pedro is still an important part of this squad, but everyone knows that the player always wants to play and before he had more minutes than now.
“If Laporta wins, we will look at his future from July 19.”
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