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Pedro requested to leave Barcelona, says club secretary Robert Fernandez

Pedro has asked to leave Barcelona, their club secretary has revealed, as the forward seems to have paved the way for a move to Manchester United.

Robert Fernandez spoke about Pedro's plans hours before he scored the winner in the UEFA Super Cup, though the player later called the situation "complicated."

The World Cup winner is a target for Louis van Gaal, who wants to increase his attacking options after selling Angel Di Maria to Paris Saint-Germain and said he wanted a signing with "speed and creativity."

Pedro has a £22 million release clause in his contract at the Nou Camp and Fernandez warned the 28-year-old will not be allowed to leave for anything less than that.

"Pedro asked us for the transfer," Fernandez told TV3. "We are not going to accept less than €30 million for him, it's not negotiable."

After Tuesday's Super Cup heroics, Pedro said he did not wish to leave Barcelona, but multiple factors would influence his decision.

Asked if he wanted to go, the long-serving forward said: "The answer is no. But it's complicated for many things.

"It's not for money, as has been said -- which is another lack of respect. It's a question of continuity, of minutes. I'm an ambitious player. Stay or go, I will always be of this team.

"The sports director says I said I want out? He shouldn't say that," Pedro continued, according to the Guardian.

"I barely talked with him. I talked with the president and others."

With Neymar suffering from the mumps, Pedro had been expected to start Tuesday's European Super Cup game against Sevilla, but Rafinha was named in coach Luis Enrique's starting lineup instead. Pedro eventually came on when extra time began and scored in the 115th minute.

"This is a difficult situation for me," Pedro said. "Of course I wanted to start. I don't know what will happen, but I will always be a Barca fan."

Pedro has scored 98 goals in 318 games for Barcelona, winning the Champions League three times and La Liga five times.

He could become United's sixth summer signing after Memphis Depay, Matteo Darmian, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Morgan Schneiderlin and Sergio Romero.

United are already the Premier League's biggest spenders in this transfer window and, if Pedro were to sign, it would take their expenditure to £106 million.