Pedro
Pedro is expected to join Manchester United before the end of the transfer window Getty

Pedro's expected move from Barcelona to Manchester United makes sense for all parties involved, but don't expect him to fill the gap left by Angel di Maria's departure.

The Spaniard deserves more playing time than he gets at the Nou Camp. He would fit Louis van Gaal's style at Old Trafford like a glove and the Catalan outfit have no choice but to let him leave after seven major campaigns at the club.

Also, his departure would represent great business for Barca, selling a play who emerged from their La Masia academy for a price tag of around £21.3m ($33m). The valuation would be palatable to Manchester United as well, being as it's roughly the same figure Chelsea are reportedly paying for left-back Abdul Baba Rahman and half of what Manchester City forked out for Liverpool's Raheem Sterling.

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While his pace is an ideal match for the fast speed of the Premier League, anyone who wants him to take a leading role at United like Di Maria was supposed to perform is way off the mark.

The 28-year-old player has never served as the main man at Barcelona or Spain, and he isn't a marquee player that will stamp United as title contenders in the way that Sergio Aguero is at Manchester City, Eden Hazard operates with Chelsea or Alexis Sanchez functions for Arsenal.

Pedro was a crucial part in the golden eras of both Pep Guardiola's Barcelona and the Spanish national team's World Cup-winners. However, he failed to find a role at Barcelona in a period where they had arguably the best attacking triumvirate in the world in Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez.

His hard working attitude was key in clubs defined by the camaraderie between players and tiki-taka, but he is seemingly unsuited to Luis Enrique's plans for the side, which are based on the talent of individuals.

Pedro is not as innately talented as some of the most recent graduates from La Masia, such as current Porto loanee Tello or new Everton star Gerard Deulofeu.

However, the Canary Islander has triumphed with an enviable attitude that forced Guardiola and Vincent del Bosque to give him a role in their plans – always complimenting the likes of Messi, Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez but never overshadowing them.

His role under Enrique is still crucial as a backup player – as proven with his contributions to the European Super Cup final – but with the European Championships looming, the Spaniard wants to play somewhere he can be guaranteed of a starting role.

The goal against Sevilla, perhaps his last in a Barcelona shirt, was a perfect example of what he can bring to a Manchester United squad devoid of pace, goals and a winning mentality. Pedro never gives up, never stops fighting and has a special relationship with the onion bag, scoring 99 in 319 for the Catalans despite not being an out-and-out striker.

No matter what Hristo Stoichkov says, a move to work under Van Gaal would be perfect for Pedro.

The Barcelona and Bulgaria icon is right to say many players have been marginalised out of clubs by the Dutchman. However, those were players like Rivaldo, Juan Roman Riquelme and Di Maria. Prodigious talents one and all, but not players who earned Van Gaal's respect through their hard graft, such as Luis Enrique in his playing days, Gaizka Mendieta and Ashley Young.

Pedro is tailor-made to be the new soldier of Van Gaal at Old Trafford, but if they really want to win the title they need a marquee signing. Pedro is not that man.