Emirates Stadium side look likely to snap up unhappy Nou Camp star.
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Arsenal are in late stage talks with Barcelona as Arsene Wenger seeks to secure a deal to sign Spanish international attacker Pedro.
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CaughtOffside understands that Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has been seeking to lure 26 year old Nou Camp star Pedro to the Emirates Stadium for some weeks and it appears that the North London club are closing in a deal to capture the adaptable attacker.
Pedro has struggled to retain a foothold in Barcelona’s starting eleven under new boss Gerardo Martino and is said to be unhappy with his limited role in first team matters and Wenger’s persistence may well have led to the Tenerife born forward feeling a move to Arsenal would be beneficial to his career.
Martino has handed Pedro just ten La Liga starts this term and arguably even that total has been assisted by the injury suffered by Lionel Messi and Barcelona appear ready to consider offers for the long term servant of the Catalan club.
Wenger is willing to offer €30m (£24m) for Pedro, a fee that Barcelona appear ready to consider.
The Arsenal boss is keen to strengthen his attacking options and the fact that Pedro can work effectively in wide attacking roles as well as a supporting striker have led to Arsene Wenger’s extended pursuit to sign the World Cup winner.
Pedro is increasingly concerned that a lack of a nailed on first team spot could lead to a less prominent role in Vicente del Bosque’s Spanish national team set-up, and there is perhaps a sense that having won every trophy available to him at Barcelona that the timing may be right for a fresh challenge.
A move to Arsenal would also include the extra motivating factor of a chance to join fellow Spaniards Santi Cazorla, Nacho Monreal and Mikel Arteta.
Pedro has seen his first team chances at Barcelona limited by the arrival of Neymar last summer and a resurgence of form shown by Alexis Sanchez has led to the flying attacker being benched, indeed the talented attacker only started half of the club’s six Champions League fixtures and the imminent return of Messi will only lessen his role once again.
That said Pedro has been in sparkling form when called upon, scoring 14 goals in all competitions this term.
Interest from Wenger may well have been strengthened by the long term injury issues both Lukas Podolski and Theo Walcott have suffered this season.
Having seen Mesut Ozil go from strength to strength following his departure from Spanish giants Real Madrid, where he may have felt similarly unwanted, perhaps Pedro will feel his career could benefit greatly from a change of scenery.
Pedro is into his seventh season in the Barcelona first team and has scored 82 goals in 240 appearances and has won four La Liga titles and two Champions League crowns in the process.
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