Manchester United target Pedro has asked to leave Barcelona

The Manchester United target, Pedro, has asked Barcelona for a transfer with the Catalan club insisting it will not countenance offers below the forward's €30m (£21.2m) release clause.

Louis van Gaal wants the 27-year-old to strengthen his attacking options and may move to try and seal the transfer after Tuesday evening’s Uefa Super Cup final. Pedro was named on the Barça bench for the match against Sevilla in Georgia.

The Barcelona technical secretary, Robert Fernández, revealed the player has asked to leave. “Pedro asked us for the transfer,” he said. “We are not going to accept less than €30m for him, it’s not negotiable.”

If Pedro joined he could line up alongside Wayne Rooney and Memphis Depay to form a front trident in the 4-3-3 formation Van Gaal wishes to operate. On the summer tour and in Saturday's 1-0 defeat of Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford the manager has so far fielded a 4-2-3-1 shape so Pedro's arrival may allow Van Gaal to switch.

Despite reports the club is not interested in buying Lucas Biglia, the Lazio defensive midfielder, according to sources at United.

(Guardian service)