Quote (Marieusz @ 21 Aug 2015 21:57)
They could of if they wanted to, he was ready and willing to go, but UTD were indecisive and didn't commit.
Doubt it.
Quote (The Guardian)
United’s dithering over Pedro’s £21.1m ($45m) buyout clause opened the door to Chelsea, and Mourinho, acknowledging the need for reinforcements following the champions’ terrible start to the season, didn’t need a second invitation.
While Woodward was haggling over a fee for the World Cup and Champions League winner, offering £17.6m (A$37.5m) plus £3.5m (A$7.5m) according to Ian Herbert of the Independent, the Blues were preparing their swoop, unbeknownst to United, offering the £19m upfront, with a further £2m in add ons, that was needed to convince Barca to sell.
Blues director Marina Granovskaia opened talks with the Catalans, reports Matt Law in the UK Telegraph, while Mourinho and Fabregas, with the Spanish club’s permission, made personal phone calls to Pedro.
Fabregas - a former teammate of Pedro’s - who left Barcelona after growing disenchanted in Spain, spruiked the London club to his countryman, but it was the chat with Mourinho that made up Pedro’s mind, according to the Guardian’s Dominic Fifield and Jamie Jackson.
“Fàbregas was able to offer assurances regarding life at Stamford Bridge, though Mourinho went further, offering an explanation as to how Pedro will fit into his first team,” the Guardian reports.
Leaving nothing to chance, Fabregas’s girlfriend, Daniella Semaan, made contact with Pedro’s wife Carolina Martin about moving to London. It seems the ‘happy wife, happy life’, mantra is just as applicable in football
By the time the Red Devils indicated they were ending their interest in Pedro, the 28-year-old had already boarded a flight from London to sign with the Premier League champions, where he will have a medical before signing on Thursday
Basically Ed was left in Barcelona for a fool. Looked stupid and amateurish.