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Chelsea snatches Pedro from Man United

LONDON — The dramatic Chelsea signing of Pedro from under the noses of Manchester United was masterminded by the Premier League champions’ manager, Jose Mourinho, director Marina Granovskaia, Cesc Fabregas and the midfielder’s girlfriend, Daniella Semaan.

Pedro Rodriguez competing for the ball with Markel Susaeta (left) and Oscar de Marcos (right) of Athletic Club last week in Spain. Photo: Getty Images

Pedro Rodriguez competing for the ball with Markel Susaeta (left) and Oscar de Marcos (right) of Athletic Club last week in Spain. Photo: Getty Images

LONDON — The dramatic Chelsea signing of Pedro from under the noses of Manchester United was masterminded by the Premier League champions’ manager, Jose Mourinho, director Marina Granovskaia, Cesc Fabregas and the midfielder’s girlfriend, Daniella Semaan.

The Barcelona forward is poised to complete a £22 million (S$48.4 million) move to Chelsea after flying to London yesterday to take a medical, just two days after Ed Woodward, the United executive vice-chairman, had travelled to Spain to try to close a deal.

While Woodward was haggling with Barcelona, however, Chelsea were putting “operation Pedro” into practice. Granovskaia conducted discreet negotiations with the Spanish club and, with the permission of Barcelona, Mourinho and Fabregas spoke directly to the forward.

With Mourinho and Fabregas working on Pedro, Semaan made contact with the Spaniard’s wife, Carolina Martin, about moving to London. Fabregas is good friends with Pedro from their time together at Barcelona and with the Spain team, while Semaan also knows Martin well.

Spanish sources also claim that United’s bid ran into trouble because of Louis Van Gaal’s fallout with Pedro’s former Barcelona team-mate Victor Valdes.

Hristo Stoichkov urged Pedro not to play for his former Barcelona manager Van Gaal, claiming that the Dutchman was “mediocre” and somebody who “destroys clubs”.

The “hijacking” of Pedro has echoes of Chelsea’s late move to sign Willian from under the noses of Tottenham Hotspur two years ago, in what was a significant blow to Andre Villas-Boas, who was Spurs’ manager at the time.

Mourinho’s main motivation in signing Pedro is clearly to improve his team and squad, but he will take great delight in putting one over United off the pitch after Chelsea’s slow start to the season.

Mourinho had hinted that he was frustrated by Chelsea’s lack of transfer activity, but the club’s owner, Roman Abramovich, has responded to the City defeat by committing to spend up to £44 million on Pedro and left-back Baba Rahman, while also having a £30 million bid for central defender John Stones rejected. Chelsea could yet sign Stones for about £40 million before the transfer window shuts.

Pedro’s pace should provide a new creative element to Chelsea’s game and he has twice scored more than 20 goals in all competitions for Barcelona, and he also scored 19 times in 2013-’14.

The arrival of Pedro will lift the mood at Chelsea, following a tough week in which Mourinho was forced to answer questions over his demotion of club doctor Eva Carneiro and physio Jon Fearn and the team were beaten by City. THE DAILY TELEGRAPH

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