Barcelona to decide Pedro future after presidential elections amid Chelsea interest

Barcelona will only make a final decision over the future of Chelsea target Pedro once a new club president has been elected, El Mundo Deportivo reports.

Pedro signed a new contract at the Nou Camp earlier this year, but revealed in a recent interview that his €150m (£106.4m, $165.2m) release clause had been lowered.

Catalan newspaper Sport claims Chelsea will make an offer of £22m for the Spain international, but Jose Mourinho and his side will have to wait to learn whether the Catalan giants are prepared to do business.

And according El Mundo, the final decision is now on hold until after the club elect a new president on 18 July.

Joan Laporta and Josep Bartomeu are vying for the presidency, with Laporta looking to secure a second spell in the seat following a successful reign between 2003 and 2010.

Former Barcelona defender Eric Abidal, who will be appointed Barcelona's new sporting director should Laporta be elected, recently insisted Pedro remains a valuable asset to the club despite his lack of game time last season.

"Players such as Pedro cannot be allowed to go," he told news agency EFE, according to Sky Sports. "I know him as a player but also as a person. He is a player who fits into the first team very well. When we won everything in 2009, the most important goals were his.

"The work was of the whole team, but sometimes you have to go into the finer details and Pedro is a player who always gives these details.

"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."

Pedro recently confirmed he has had offers but denied claims he has already spoken to Chelsea over a move to Stamford Bridge.

"I did not talk to Mourinho," he claimed, according to Goal.com. "That would have been disrespectful to Barcelona. It is true that it was agreed to lower the buy-out clause and it is also true that there are offers."