Manchester United: Pedro Rodriguez refuses to rule out Barcelona exit

Barcelona winger Pedro has refused to rule out a move to Manchester United, but has declined to make any comments after the club's technical secretary Robert Fernandez confirmed "his [Pedro] desire to leave".

The Red Devils have been heavily linked with a move for the player, who scored the winner in Barcelona's 5-4 win over Sevilla in the European Super Cup. The 28-year-old is being touted as a replacement for Angel di Maria, who failed to live up to expectations at Old Trafford and made his way to Paris Saint-Germain earlier in the summer window.

Fernandez had previously revealed that Pedro had expressed his desire to leave the club this summer, which was later repudiated by the winger.

"Pedro has told me he wants to go. The buyout clause in his contract is not negotiable but this could be his final game," said Fernandez, as quoted by the BBC.

The Mirror states that United are ready to meet his £22m ($34m) release clause to prise him to the Premier League, but the Mundo Deportivo reckons that they will face competition from Manchester City who are the latest entrants in the race for the forward. The winger is being courted as a replacement for Edin Dzeko, but Manuel Pellegrini is also on the lookout for a more physical presence up front, who will be a more direct replacement for the Bosnian.

The winger has scored 99 goals in 319 appearances for the club, winning three Champions League titles in the process. Pedro rubbished talking to Fernandez over his desire to leave the club, but refused to rule out a move to Manchester, where he will have new challenges to look up to.

"The answer is no. But it is a difficult, complicated situation. When you know you may leave it is difficult," he said, when asked if he intends to leave Barcelona.

"I've not said what Robert's said, or at least not how I said it," he said in reply to queries on Fernandez's comment.

"The truth is that I had a good chance to play. The coach has decided not to count on me. I don't know, I don't know if I will continue here.

"Manchester? Yes, there are nice challenges on all sides. Today I'm here, and I'm happy. And if I go, I will go with my head held high having always given everything," he added.