..::Football IV::..

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Renato Sanches beats Rashford and Coman to European Golden Boy award

Bayern Munich star Renato Sanches has been named 2016's European Golden Boy, the annual award handed out to football's most talented young player.

The teenage Portugal forward will receive the trophy in Monday's ceremony in Monte Carlo, but organisers Tuttosport revealed the winner on their front page prior to the prizegiving.

Manchester United hotshot Marcus Rashford and Sanches' Bayern team-mate Kingsley Coman complete the podium, while Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma makes the top 10 and is the only Italian representative.

The award, which compiles votes from 30 journalists working at some of Europe's most prestigious news outlets, was given to Man Utd's French forward Anthony Martial last season.
Previous winners since its inception 15 years ago include Wayne Rooney, Mario Balotelli, Sergio Aguero and Paul Pogba.

 

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Congratulations Renato Sanches!

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Congratulations Renato Sanches!

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He's still very sloppy at bayern but an amazing talent​

 

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De Bruyne & Griezmann named in second batch of Ballon d'Or nominees

Kevin De Bruyne and Antoine Griezmann are amongst the latest big names to be announced as candidates for the Ballon d'Or award.

The Man City and Atleti stars are joined by Paulo Dybala, Gonzalo Higuain and Diego Godin as part of the second set of nominees to be named.

The first batch of potential winners was announced earlier in the day, with Real Madrid duo Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale nominated alongside Sergio Aguero, Gianluigi Buffon and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

The rest of the list will be announced across Monday, with the third set of players being released at 2pm and the rest following at 4pm, 6:15pm and 6:30pm (all times CET).

 

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Schweinsteiger, Man Utd & even Everton get involved in birthday love for Rooney

Footballers and football clubs have been sending their birthday wishes to Wayne Rooney.

Rooney turns 31 on October 24, with the Manchester United captain having hit a troubling period in his career as he struggles to break into the starting XI for both club and country.

He's clearly not been forgotten about, though, with the likes of United team-mates Bastian Schweinsteiger and Andreas Pereira getting involved in the birthday love.

 

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Happy Birthday Rooney!

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Pogba 'confused' at Manchester United - Neville

Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville says Paul Pogba looks confused at the club but insists manager Jose Mourinho is the right man to return the glory days back to Old Trafford, despite Sunday's drubbing at Chelsea.

All eyes were on Mourinho for his return to Stamford Bridge but there was nowhere for the ex-Chelsea boss to hide as United suffered a humiliating 4-0 defeat in the Premier League.

"Pogba is no doubt confused," the former defender told Sky Sports ."He has been signed for such a huge fee and I look at him and it was a difficult day for him. It was difficult for him at times at Anfield as a No.10 so, at the moment, I think Jose Mourinho is trying to find a way to incorporate him and when you sign a player for that level of money, you somehow have to make it fit."

Determined to prove a point to his former employer after being sacked in December last year, Mourinho was left stunned after Pedro opened the scoring inside just 30 seconds.

Some more poor defending saw Gary Cahill double Chelsea's lead in the 21st minute before Eden Hazard and N'Golo Kante completed the rout in the second period.

The defeat, United's third of the season, left Mourinho's side six points off the pace in seventh position, however, Neville has urged calm as the Portuguese tactician continues to rebuild the team.

"There will be a massive over-reaction to the game, Jose Mourinho will come under huge pressure and it will be ramped up ahead of the derby on Wednesday. I am quite relaxed," Neville.

"When you are a Manchester United fan for 30 years, for 50 years, you are going to have difficult times like these and you have to accept when they come along and be mature about it."They have got a fantastic manager who has been proven in every league in Europe nearly, and they have to allow him to do his job methodically over the next two to three years, get it right.

"There has been some poor management, some poor recruitment decisions and there have been players signed who are not Manchester United players. I am not talking about talent, I am talking about profile.

"Pogba and [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic are more Manchester United players in my mind in terms of personality and the physical aspect, so I do think ultimately Mourinho is on the right track in terms of recruitment.

"They have got to continue to do that and they have got to move away some of the previous, which will be difficult because they are on big contracts, but he doesn't panic in the transfer market."

Neville added: "I have to say when I look at United I still don't know what their best XI is. Mourinho is still early in his reign, he is identifying his best players, his best XI, his best partnerships.

"To be fair, United have to trust him and will trust him to get it right over the next couple of transfer windows, because if you look at their midfield, they have Pogba, [Morgan] Schneiderlin and [Marouane] Fellaini; that is £170 million spent on central midfielders in the last three years and I still don't know which is the best pairing. Mourinho has got to try and build a pair or replace them.

"There is a lot of work to do for United, but as a United fan I am not alarmed. I thought that they would be better at the start of the season. Maybe that was a thought of Mourinho having a massive impact, but when you look at it today, that's not a Jose Mourinho team at all.

"He has got to work with them, he's got to get more out of them. He can't do anything over the next three months and it will be difficult in January."

 

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Ibrahimovic included in third set of Ballon d'Or candidates

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been named in the third set of players nominated for the Ballon d'Or.

The candidates for the award are being unveiled throughout Monday in batches of five, and the Manchester United star was included alongside Andres Iniesta, Koke, Toni Kroos and Robert Lewandowski.

The previous two announcements saw Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Sergio Aguero, Gianluigi Buffon and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang included together, with Kevin De Bruyne, Antoine Griezmann, Paulo Dybala, Gonzalo Higuain and Diego Godin following later.

Ibrahimovic has enjoyed a prosperous 2016, having ended the 2015-16 campaign strongly by leading Paris Saint-Germain to another Ligue 1 title before joining Manchester United, for whom he has scored six goals in 13 appearances in all competitions.

Lewandowski, meanwhile, has started the current campaign well, netting 10 goals in 13 games for Bayern Munich after impressing in the second half of last term.

After winning La Liga and the Champions League with Real Madrid, followed by Euro 2016 with Portugal, Ronaldo remains the favourite to win the award this year, though Lionel Messi is aiming to win the prize for the sixth time.The next remaining groups of players will be announced at 4pm, 6:15pm and 6:30pm (all times CET).

 

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Klopp: Mignolet is unhappy, but Karius is No.1

Simon Mignolet will start in goal for Liverpool’s hosting of Tottenham in the League Cup, but Jurgen Klopp has revealed Loris Karius is currently the club’s first-choice option between the sticks.

The Belgian will be restored to the starting line-up on Tuesday night for the fourth-round encounter as the manager refreshes his squad, but it is only a temporary situation.

It was in the previous tie of the tournament against Derby County on September 20 when Karius first assumed the gloves this season following an injury lay-off, and he has not ceded it in the four games since that 3-0 victory. Klopp admitted Mignolet is displeased at being the back-up goalkeeper, but has not shown as much in training.

“He is a real professional, and we’ve had a few talks about it because I didn’t have the perfect answer for him,” the Reds boss said at Melwood on Monday. “I couldn’t say: ‘You are bad and he is good, that’s why he’s playing.’ This is what I call a luxury problem. We only had to make a decision, and I made it. Of course, he was not happy about it, but he is a very serious person, a good professional.

“For us it’s the most comfortable situation I can imagine - that we have these two goalkeepers fit and in shape. Everything is good from my side, he’s still not happy, but nobody can see this in training.

“He’s still hard working and improving and doing all that he needs to do.”Having not wanted to be drawn into ranking the keepers a few weeks ago, Klopp disclosed the German currently has the advantage.

“In this moment, we have a No.1, who is Loris, like we had a No.1 when he was injured, which was Simon,” he said.“That’s the situation, I cannot leave them in doubt. There was a short period with the two or three games which we gave to Loris to see a little more of him and after the last international break, I spoke with both of them and we made this decision. “This is the ranking, if you want, in this moment, Loris is the No. 1 and Simon is in this moment the No.2.”

 

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Klopp: Liverpool not even close to 100 per cent

Liverpool are not even close to playing at 100 per cent this season, according to manager Jurgen Klopp.

A narrow 2-1 win over West Brom allowed Klopp's side to move level on points with Manchester City and Arsenal at the top of the Premier League, though they sit in third on goal difference.

Liverpool are unbeaten since a shock 2-0 loss to Burnley in August, and last Monday's 0-0 draw with Manchester United was the only game since that defeat in which they have failed to score.Klopp, however, is adamant that there can be no excuse among his players for not trying to improve their performances.

Speaking ahead of Wednesday's EFL Cup clash against Tottenham, he said: "Nothing we've done so far has been close to 100 per cent. There are a lot of things for us to do better."If there weren't things to improve we could go on holiday all week and then just meet on Saturdays.

"Swansea City first half was far away from rhythm. As I've said, it's not like cycling. You can miss it. You need to stay in the race and concentrate, we need to get better."Nobody feels that it's not possible to play better. We can defend better, we can attack better, we can create better. A better balance in the game.

"The game against Burnley was not good, Man United was not good, a lot of people said the last 10 minutes against West Brom could have been better."It's a lot of things to think about. It's a good thing we have another game immediately, strong team and big opponent."

Klopp's side suffered a penalty shootout defeat to Manchester City in the final of the competition last season, and he is determined to earn a chance for redemption."We decided after the game against City that we should try again," he said. "It would be a negative sign if we need to lose a final to feel that. It's an interesting tournament, a big cup, that's why we want to win it.

"I didn't know anything about the final before. When I was there, it's a real final, a real experience."Klopp went on to praise the efforts of goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, despite admitting that the Belgium international is unhappy at being second choice behind Loris Karius.

"After the last international break I spoke to both of them and we made this decision. That's the ranking. Loris is number one right now, Simon number two," he said."Mignolet is a very serious player, a good professional. He's still not happy but you cannot see it in training. He is hard working and improving."

 

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Wenger: 82 points could win the Premier League

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes the 2016-17 Premier League will be won with a total of between 82 and 86 points.

The Gunners are well placed to challenge in the early stages this season – they are level on 20 points with leaders Manchester City after nine matches.Leicester City won last season's title with 81 - the second-lowest tally since 2001 - and Wenger thinks this year's top flight will be secured by a similar amount.

The Frenchman also has confidence Arsenal will be in the running to end their title drought, having not won the league since 2003-04."Today we are in a much more competitive position than we were five or six years ago to fight for the championship," Wenger said at Arsenal's AGM."That's where we are. I believe we have a competitive team in a very competitive league.

"If you look well after nine games, you can see the first trend is set. It is about 20 points and that means the championship will certainly be decided by 82 to 86 points.

"What we have learned since the start of the season is every game you have fight and to absolutely be at your best to have a chance to win it. "We have to be really focused on details, keeping the energy inside our club but as well much more inside our team at the top level in every single game."

In addition to their Champions League commitments, Arsenal have successive crunch matches against north London rivals Tottenham and traditional foes Manchester United in the league next month."Every single detail can make a difference and get you points," he said."We have an important month in front of us because when you look at the schedule, the end of October and November could be important because we have many big games.

"I personally believe that the team has togetherness, unity, desire and hunger. We will have a good chance to compete for the Premier League. "I think we have the squad for the first time that is more mature and better equipped to face the challenges we have."

 

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Giggs hits out at 'laughing' Man Utd players following Chelsea battering

Ryan Giggs has hit out at the Manchester United players he claims were "laughing" following their 4-0 thrashing at Chelsea on Sunday.

Jose Mourinho's side were comprehensively beaten on the Portuguese's return to Stamford Bridge and Giggs, who spent 29 years at United as a player and a coach, was hoping the players would be hurting following an abject display.

But Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Juan Mata were both pictured smiling while Anthony Martial warmly embraced France team-mate N'Golo Kante, leaving Giggs unimpressed.

He told the Premier League TV channel: "You can get beat in a football match, but then when you're getting beat and you're swapping shirts, that is something I don't like.

"If you get beat 4-0, you congratulate the opposition, you thank the supporters and then you get off the pitch.

"You don't stand around on the pitch swapping shirts and laughing with the team that's just beat you."

 

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'I can't believe that he's not getting a look-in' - Hargreaves puzzled by Mkhitaryan omission

Former Manchester United and England midfielder Owen Hargreaves is baffled by Henrikh Mkhitaryan's exclusion from the first team at Old Trafford.

Mkhitaryan arrived from Borussia Dortmund during the close season as one of four marquee signings alongside Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paul Pogba and Eric Bailly.

While those three have been first-choice selections throughout the campaign so far, Mkhitaryan's last action came on his solitary Premier League start – where he was substituted at half-time in a 2-1 defeat to Manchester City on September 10.

City return to Old Trafford in the EFL Cup on Wednesday, where there will be intrigue surrounding any potential role handed to Mkhitaryan after the Armenia international was excluded from Mourinho's matchday squads versus Fenerbahce and Chelsea despite returning to training following a thigh injury."He needs to play, I can't believe that he's not getting a look-in. He would be a banker in my starting XI," ex-Bayern Munich man Hargreaves told Squawka.

"He had a slow start at Dortmund too and he was the players' player of the year last season. He got 23 goals and 32 assists, which is staggering numbers."This wasn't in a terrible league against pub teams and I can't think of anybody who could put up those numbers besides Messi and Ronaldo. He's a top player and we haven't seen it yet at United.

"The thing is, he's such a wonderful player but I think he's also quite a sensitive guy. It would have been perfect if he started off flying with goals and assists, but the slow start has probably hit his confidence."One player involved at Mkhitaryan's expense is Juan Mata – perhaps surprisingly given Mourinho jettisoned the player during his time at Chelsea.

Both men endured a painful return to Stamford Bridge on Sunday as the hosts ran out 4-0 winners and Spain international Mata is keen to see a reaction in Wednesday's derby clash.

"We must carry on," he wrote in his weekly blog. "Luckily, in three days we have a very important fixture, and as from now we must focus on this new opportunity to get better.

"It sounds like a cliche but it's true; when we win and everybody praises you it's easy to be united and celebrate together, but it is now, after such a defeat, when we must remain mentally strong and keep going. Together we win and together we lose."

 

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Griezmann named La Liga's best player as Barcelona, Real and Atletico share awards

Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann has been named as the best player in La Liga at an awards ceremony in Valencia on Monday.

France international Griezmann overcame formidable competition for the prize and won the nod over the likes of Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez despite not featuring in the running for the best striker award and failing to win a place in the division's team of the season, which was named in June.

Cristiano Ronaldo headed the list of 30 nominees for the Ballon d'Or alongside Messi, Suarez and Griezman earlier on Thursday, following his successes with Real Madrid and Portugal in the Champions League and at Euro 2016 respectively, but he was surprisingly not recognised in any category at the Liga awards amid a somewhat contradictory collection of individual winners.

Messi, who claimed the individual Liga gong on six of the previous seven times it was up for grabs, pipped Barcelona top scorer and team-mate Suarez and Athletic Bilbao veteran Aritz Aduriz to the best striker prize, while Uruguay's Suarez was recognised as La Liga's "World Player" despite the honours for Argentina's Messi and France's Griezmann.

The supporters' award also went to Griezmann who, like the Barcelona contingent, did not attend the ceremony.

Spain's big three of Barcelona, Madrid and Atletico Madrid were predictably dominant and took up all 11 spots in the team of the year.

Atletico's miserly defensive work was duly recognised, with Jan Oblak and Diego Godin named as La Liga's best goalkeeper and best defender respectively, while their boss Diego Simeone was also honoured with his third coach of the year award in four seasons ahead of departed Villarreal chief Marcelino and Celta Vigo's Eduardo Berizzo - with Barcelona's double-winning Luis Enrique not granted a look-in.

"It is a privilege to be here to receive this award, which would not have been possible without the help of my colleagues," said Godin, who ended Madrid captain Sergio Ramos' four-year grip on the prize.

Real Madrid's Luka Modric was recognised as the top flight's leading midfielder, beating Barcelona's Sergio Busquets and Villarreal captain Bruno Soriano into second and third place.Modric previously shared the award with Barca captain Andres Iniesta in 2013-14.

Madrid's Marco Asensio was named as La Liga's best emerging player following an impressive loan spell at Espanyol last term.

 

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Congratulations Griezmann!

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'Only three Manchester United players good enough for rivals'

Former England international Danny Mills believes there are only three players on Manchester United’s books that would walk into the starting XI of a fellow Premier League title hopeful.

The Red Devils spent big over the summer in an effort to force their way back into the elite group of challengers capable of competing for the top-flight crown.

A record-breaking deal brought Paul Pogba back to Old Trafford from Juventus, while the presence of Jose Mourinho in the dugout helped to lure Zlatan Ibrahimovic to England at the end of his PSG contract.

Mills feels both of those acquisitions are of the required standard, but would only put goalkeeper David de Gea alongside them in that bracket.He told BBC Radio 5 Live: "They've been very poor. Their recruitment has been poor, it's left them in a difficult state.

"How many of those United players would get into the top five or six sides?"Pogba? Yes, I still think Zlatan would get in and also De Gea. Apart from that, I don't think there's many."[Marcus] Rashford is a great emerging talent, but he's not consistent; [Jesse] Lingard is a great emerging talent, but he's not consistent."

United may well decide to strengthen again during the January transfer window, with speculation already mounting regarding possible comings and goings.

There are, however, plenty of fixtures to be taken in before then – starting with an EFL Cup derby clash with Manchester City on Wednesday – in which the current crop of talent can prove their worth and silence their doubters.

 

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Premier League title out of reach for Mourinho and Man Utd - Xavi

The Premier League title is out of reach for Manchester United this season according to Xavi, who warned the club and manager Jose Mourinho to lower their expectations.United's title hopes took a blow on Sunday after they were humiliated 4-0 by Chelsea in Mourinho's return to Stamford Bridge.

The embarrassing result left United seventh in the Premier League, six points adrift of table-topping Manchester City, whom they host in the fourth round of the EFL Cup on Wednesday.And former Barcelona midfielder Xavi has urged United to forget the title and instead set their sights on the EFL Cup as well as retaining the FA Cup.

"The domestic competitions have to be everything for United and Mourinho this season," Xavi told the Mirror."I don't think this season they can win the Premier League. These competitions are their hope for a trophy.

"Once Mourinho has had another transfer window, maybe they'll be ready, but for now they must secure a finish in a Champions League spot - that's where United belong."

United renew hostilities with City in a midweek derby, having already suffered a 2-1 loss to their arch-rivals in the Premier League in September.Pep Guardiola's City head to Old Trafford in the midst of a five-game winless run in all competitions.

Xavi, however, believes his former boss will still lead City to Premier League glory in 2016-17."Both coaches are going to want to win this game," added Xavi. "I don't believe this is a competition they will not take seriously.

"Pep will not be worrying, that's not his way - but he will not have been happy with recent results - and a good win against the biggest rivals could put them on a good run again.

"Pep will also want to win his first competition with City, that will be important for him. Even with City dropping some points in the league, I still think under Pep they'll be champions this season."

 

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Bailly injury leaves Man Utd & Mourinho without only transfer success

Some Manchester United players had spent the week prior to their 4-0 defeat against Chelsea mocking the footwear choices of Eric Bailly on social media. Ironic, considering he’s the only player who hasn’t put a foot wrong this season.

Only three players had played every minute of Manchester United’s Premier League campaign up to the point when Bailly suffered a knee ligament injury during the second half of the 4-0 loss at Chelsea.

David de Gea and Zlatan Ibrahimovic were two, and the third was Bailly himself. De Gea was responsible for the concession of costly goals against Stoke City and Chelsea on the day while Zlatan is on his longest barren streak in front of goal for a decade. It could be argued, then, that Bailly was the only player Jose Mourinho was able to trust wholeheartedly for the Premier League campaign so far.

The former Porto boss can’t seem to make up his mind about his players in midfield and on the wings and is about to be served another headscratcher with his defensive chief out injured. How badly United will miss him."He is injured and I am afraid he is badly injured," the Special One said at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. "In his knee, in the ligament area, he feels it is really bad."

When the alternative is Marcos Rojo - with Phil Jones having apparently vanished - then you know United are in trouble at the back. There is a perplexing lack of strength in depth in the centre-back positions with it having been a case of “Bailly plus one” for the season so far.

Chris Smalling and Daley Blind were largely appalling in the absence of the 22-year-old CAF African Football of the Year nominee on Sunday; the crisis of confidence afflicting other sectors of Mourinho’s team finally reaching the backline which shut out Liverpool last Monday.

United looked beleaguered and badly organised throughout against Chelsea but it’s not a stretch to say that only Bailly of the defenders looks worthy of a place at this storied club. There is accurate distribution, short and long. There are crunching covering challenges and a desire to head balls in the box.

A sum of £30m was required to prise Bailly from Villarreal over the summer. After some initial reservations, the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations winner has grown seamlessly into his surroundings.

There is no doubting that at the moment Bailly is the only summer transfer success story for United given the travails of Zlatan, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and the world’s most expensive footballer Paul Pogba. Only Bailly has played anywhere close to expectations and he arrived with the smallest fanfare too.

A patched-up defensive line will be on view on Wednesday night for the EFL Cup derby against City but none of Mourinho’s options instill much confidence back there. Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne are in bad need of a pick-me-up and could well have their eyes trained on the United defence as the opportunity to regain confidence.

The next month will also be a dry run for that period from the middle of January to February when Bailly will be at the Afcon with Cote d’Ivoire. Instead of poking fun at his sandals, by the time Bailly comes back, his team-mates might well be kissing his feet.

 

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Xavi: Mourinho wants war, not football

Xavi has described Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho as wanting war instead of football when things do not go his wayThe Portuguese recently griped to Antonio Conte about excessive touchline gesticulating after Chelsea's 4-0 humiliation of the Red Devils at the weekend.

It was an incident that followed Mourinho finding issue with Jurgen Klopp - something the Liverpool manager labelled "b*******" - while he has rekindled his feud with Arsene Wenger and England's media.And Xavi has a low opinion of the manager's way of dealing with adversity, urging him to stop bringing his conspiracy theories to the Premier League.

"Sometimes, when things don't go well for Mourinho, he wants war not football - like when he was at [Real] Madrid - and I hope we don't see that again in England," the former Barcelona midfielder told the Mirror .

Pressure has been steadily building on Mourinho after his expensively-assembled United side languish seventh in the Premier League, six points behind leaders Manchester City.

 

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Pedro reveals Barcelona talks

Chelsea attacker Pedro has acknowledged he discussed a return to Camp Nou with Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu in the summer.

The Catalans were desperate to add some more depth to their attack and had earmarked Pedro as a valuable addition following his previous success at the club.
A move never materialised, though, as Barcelona brought in Paco Alcacer from Valencia instead.

And while Pedro admitted to the talks with his boyhood side, he also made it clear a transfer away from Stamford Bridge never really came close to happening.

"I talked with Bartomeu," Pedro told RAC-1. "But it was given more importance than the conversation merited."It is difficult to return somewhere, but you always have memories of a spell with a club."

Pedro worked under former Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho when he joined Chelsea in 2015 and he has stressed there was no animosity between the pair regardless of their time in Spain."My opinion of Mourinho changed when he became my coach," the forward added. "He was always clear and correct to me."

Pedro played a key role in Chelsea's 4-0 win over Manchester United at the weekend as he opened the scoring after just 30 seconds.And the Spain international revealed he is pleased with the way things are going for him under Antonio Conte this season.

"I am happy with the playing time I am getting now," the 29-year-old added. "It is always good to play your part and help the team with goals whenever possible. I am feeling well physically."