Premier League sides Arsenal and Liverpool are planning to go after Barcelona midfielder Pedri as the Spanish side could be forced to sell him in the summer, claims Radio Marca[h/t Football Espana].
Pedri broke into the scene in 2020 and since then, the 21-year-old has played in close to 150 games across all competitions. He’s been a consistent figure in the middle of the pitch for the past four seasons but Barcelona’s poor financial conditions will most likely force them to sell off the youngster.
The Catalans are in desperate need of funds which is why they are about to sell some of their most important players and one of them might be Pedri, for whom Barcelona were previously demanding around £70 million but as per the fresh reports, they will now allow him to leave for as low as £51 million. Pedri’s contract expires in 2026 but the club has put fresh talks on hold due to their financial issues and if this news is true then the next logical step will be to cash in on him in the summer.
Should Arsenal and Liverpool go all out to sign Pedri?
Pedri is a world-class ball-playing central midfielder and if Barcelona are really willing to sell him for £51 million then it is a major loss for the Spanish side.
The midfielder is very forward-mined and has an eye for a pass and this season, he has a passing accuracy of 87% along with an xA of 2.14. He has four goal contributions so far in 19 La Liga matches and has created 28 major chances.
Arsenal and Liverpool’s interest in the youngster is clearly justified because he has the ability to upgrade either midfield next season. At Arsenal, he can be the ideal replacement for Thomas Partey who is going to leave in the summer and at Liverpool, he can sit alongside the likes of Endo and Mac Allister perfectly.
However, Pedri is very injury-prone and since his debut, he has missed as many as 75 games for Barcelona. This season, he has been on the sidelines for three separate injuries, missing a total of 19 matches. His latest setback kept him out for the whole of March.
A youngster who is only 21 is expected to play each and every week without any complaints but Pedri, on the other hand, has been constantly plagued by hamstring issues. Paying £70 million would be a big no-no but if Barcelona are willing to accept £51 million for the midfielder then both Arsenal and Liverpool can afford to take a gamble.
Obviously, the two English clubs will have to be ready to bring in another central midfielder should Pedri turn out to be a failure but if he can find his fit then he can turn into the next midfield superstar. There have also been whispers regarding his poor lifestyle off the pitch but his brother has come out strongly to deny them.
Both Arsenal and Liverpool need a midfield overhaul for the next season and Pedri can be the perfect fit if he is available for a bargain price.
The post This Spanish midfielder will be available for just £51M with Arsenal and Liverpool interested in him: Can he be the next PL superstar? appeared first on Football Fan Base.