Barcelona forward Pedro denies Jose Mourinho talks amid Chelsea transfer link

Barcelona forward Pedro has moved to deny claims that he held talks with Jose Mourinho over a potential move to Chelsea, but confirmed that the release clause in his current contract has indeed been lowered and that he is subject to concrete offers from unnamed clubs.

The Spanish international, a World Cup winner in 2010 and European champion two years later, won the treble at the Nou Camp in May yet is believed to be frustrated over a lack of consistent first-team opportunities under manager Luis Enrique.

Pedro started just 15 games in La Liga last term and scored just six times as he struggled to prove himself worthy of a regular starting berth behind Barcelona's formidably impressive attacking triumvirate of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez.

Despite these struggles and legitimate concerns over his place in the Spain squad for Euro 2016, however, the 27-year-old agreed terms on a new four-year deal earlier this summer that saw his release clause remain fixed at an eye-watering €150m (£106.4m, $165.2m).

Catalan newspaper Sport subsequently reported on 12 July that Chelsea were ready to pay €30m to take Pedro to Stamford Bridge after Barcelona supposedly agreed to substantially reduce that aforementioned clause ahead of a likely summer exit.

Conversations held with Mourinho as well as compatriot and former Blaugrana teammate Cesc Fabregas were believed to have played a decisive role in convincing the player according to such speculation, but Pedro has now flatly denied that those discussions with the Portuguese ever took place.

As reported by Goal, he told the press: "I did not talk to Mourinho. 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."

Pedro is clearly still reluctant to call time on his 11-year association with the La Liga champions, yet conceded that he may need to move on for the sake of his career.

"It is a difficult situation. You want more minutes, more options, to be at the forefront of things but things are getting more difficult for me," he added.

"It's a dream playing for Barcelona. I have won many titles and this fills me with satisfaction and joy, but you have to have the ambition to keep improving and play regularly.

"I wish I could stay at Barca but it is a very demanding club. It's hard at the top level, so we'll see what happens. But obviously one is happier when one can play."