Profile
The emergence of Pedro González López – specifically a young Spanish player in the traditions of those by which Barcelona have for so long been recognised – represented not only one of the biggest positives of so troubled a period for one of the world’s leading clubs, but one of their greatest causes for optimism. Aged 17 when he finally arrived from Las Palmas in July 2020 for a fee of €5m, a year after agreeing to move, he has swiftly established himself in a midfield that had long been in decline.
Having done so as a player, his manager at the Camp Nou, Ronald Koeman, knows better than most what is required to succeed at so demanding a club, and he said: “The player who’s surprised me the most is Pedri. I knew Barça had signed him from Las Palmas and I had seen tapes of him, but I don’t think anyone expected the rapid speed of his development since joining. Playing and training with the best players at Barça aged just 17; delivering such high levels of performance.”