Manchester United join Chelsea and Liverpool in race for Barcelona wantaway

Whether this is agent talk, idle speculation, or Louis van Gaal throwing more money at his problems won't be known until the Pedro transfer saga comes to a close, but if the Guardian are to be believed, Manchester United are the latest Premier League team to join the race for the Barcelona want-away.

Louis van Gaal is hopeful of buying Pedro from Barcelona to increase Manchester United's attacking options, with the manager poised to trigger the forward's release clause of £22m.

[...]

Chelsea are also monitoring the player but it is understood he is minded to join United and that Van Gaal wants to close the deal soon...

-source: Guardian

It is perhaps surprising that it took this long for the rumors to start mentioning other big names than just Chelsea in connection with the winger whose name doesn't fit into the three-letter acronym that adorns the top of the Barcelona starting eleven.  With Pedro's release clause dropped from astronomical to affordable when he signed his extension a few months ago, and Barcelona claiming that they won't stand in his way (at least prior to their elections this weekend), he should be able to move easily, should he and his new masters desire so.

Van Gaal has recently revealed that United are not yet done spending frivolously, and so they join Liverpool's new money and Chelsea's older money in supposedly vying for Pedro's services.  The Red Devils may in fact have the biggest need to sign Pedro should Ángel Di María actually leave for Paris Saint-Germain.  But, may the ones who actually end up paying the release clause win!