Roma and Real Betis enter race for Pedro as forward prepares to leave Chelsea on free transfer
Roma and Real Betis have reportedly entered the race to sign Chelsea forward Pedro, who looks set to leave the club when his contract expires in June.
Pedro has struggled for playing time under Blues boss Frank Lampard this term, making just nine Premier League appearances.
The club haven’t yet offered him a new deal and a host of European clubs are now preparing to offer him a fresh start, with Roma and Betis leading the queue.
Roma and Real Betis have reportedly entered the race to sign Pedro on a free transfer in June
The forward’s contract expires in June and he is yet to receive a new offer from Chelsea
According to Goal, Roma have highlighted the 32-year-old as one of several forward options they hope to add to their squad this summer.
Meanwhile, Betis are keen to sign Pedro and keep hold of Nabil Fekir, who is reportedly wanted by Arsenal, Newcastle and AC Milan.
The club will, however, look to offload several other attackers in order to free up money on the wage bill, with Christian Tello, Javi Garcia, Sidnei and Aissa Mandi surplus to requirements.
Pedro recently spoke to Spanish radio station El Larguero about his future and admitted he’s open to a move elsewhere while leaving the door open to staying at Stamford Bridge.
‘The coronavirus situation affected everything, so at the moment we are waiting for a meeting with Chelsea,’ he said.
‘I know that the contract is concluding, but we have not yet sat down to discuss whether to renew and continue here or not. I’m waiting for the meeting with the club, but am also open to listening to other offers.’
The 32-year-old has admitted he’s ‘open to offers’ but is also still hoping to sit down with Blues
Pedro has scored 43 goals in 201 appearances for Chelsea since joining the club in 2015
Pedro was also asked about the prospect of returning to Spain but was non-committal after admitting he has received a multitude of offers.
‘I don’t know, I really don’t know. I have offers from many places and I’ll evaluate what to do next. The truth is, I don’t know what’s going to happen.’
The uncertainty around Pedro’s situation could cause Chelsea a headache, with the Premier League season still unfinished and likely to conclude after his contract has expired.
That could mean the Blues offer the Spaniard a short term deal to ensure they have sufficient options until the end of the campaign, with Willian’s contract also set to expire in June.
Chelsea’s Brazilian winger Willian is also available on a free transfer in the summer
