Jose Mourinho has admitted that he was shocked to beat Manchester United to the signing of Pedro.
Chelsea pipped United to the post and triggered the release clause in the contract for the winger from Barcelona this week, in a deal with £21.2m.
However, Blues boss Mourinho was convinced that Pedro was not going to leave the Nou Camp.
So when United chief Ed Woodward flew to Spain to move the deal along, Mourinho knew he had to act fast.
He said: “When I see Pedro playing in the European Super Cup or in the Spanish Super Cup like it’s the last game of his career, I always thought with that commitment and attitude he would stay in Barcelona for sure.
“So when we knew he was that kind of professional, who gives everything but in his mind he clearly wants to leave, then it’s an opportunity that the window creates for you.
“And we, as a club, decided not to lose out. We tried to get him. And then, obviously, we are happy that the player chose us.
“For me, everything started with the fact that, finally, we understood that the player was ready to leave the club of his dreams, the club of his heart, the club where he had played since he was a kid and where he’d won absolutely everything.
“When I’m told a player wants to leave Barcelona, Real Madrid, these giant clubs, I always put a question mark: I ask myself why he wants to leave.
“Normally there are lots of rumours and it’s never true, but it was true here. He has a lot of respect and he loves Iniesta, Messi, Neymar, all these guys who played with him all these years.
“But this is a moment to leave his comfort zone for a new challenge, a new club in a new country, a new culture. I’m really happy with this approach.”
While Mourinho is shocked, but surprised, to sign Pedro, United fans must be tearing their hair out at losing out on targets repeatedly this summer. They have seen Sergio Ramos sign a new deal at Real Madrid, and this week saw Nicolas Otamendi, as well as Pedro, slip through their grasp to rival clubs.
by Steve Osborne
