Chelsea forward Pedro has revealed that he has held initial talks about a return to Barcelona, just 12 months after leaving the club for London.
The Spanish international joined the Premier League outfit in a £22m deal, but struggled to make a significant impact in his first year in England, scoring nine goals and creating three in 43 appearances in all competitions.
Despite the arrival of Antonio Conte later this summer and with the Italian tactician possibly finding an important role for Pedro, it doesn’t appear as though the 28-year-old is ready to stick around in west London.
“Hopefully (I can return to Barcelona) but I know it’s hard,” Pedro told beIN Sports.
“I have already spoken about it with the president (Josep Maria Bartomeu) when we (Barcelona) were in the (Cup) final (when Barcelona beat Sevilla 2-0 last month) and spoke to all the people who want me there.
“It’s complicated, but I’ve always said that I would like to retire at Barcelona. However, I know it’s difficult because the years go by and the club has the best players in the world, it is a very demanding club and to return is complicated. But I do not rule it out either.”
Given his history with the Catalan giants, it’s no real surprise that Pedro wishes to return to the Nou Camp where he won five La Liga titles and three Champions League trophies.
While his playing time was limited the year before last which in turn led to his decision to leave and join Chelsea, it remains to be seen whether or not the situation has changed and whether Luis Enrique has an important role lined up for him in his current squad.
It would seem difficult given the continued presence of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez, but Pedro’s intentions are fairly clear as he will await developments after Euro 2016.