Claim Chelsea ‘opposed the sale’ of player in January – Club manager was keen on signing

Having left Chelsea as a free agent after the end of last season, AS Roma took Pedro on a free transfer in August.

The 33-year-old has two goals and two assists to his name in seven appearances in all competitions for the Giallorossi.

Chris Smalling and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who spent the last season on loan at the Serie A side from Manchester United and Arsenal respectively, joined Roma on permanent transfers in the summer.

Saturday’s edition of Corriere dello Sport explains Smalling, Mkhitaryan and Pedro, along with Edin Džeko, ‘want to cancel last year’s anonymous season’.

At the end of the report, there’s a mention of the Italian club’s failed attempt to sign the former Barcelona star in January.

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In his final season with the Blues, the winger saw his playing time restricted under Frank Lampard. Pedro made only 11 appearances [eight starts] in the league, out of which only three came between September and December.

Roma manager Paulo Fonseca ‘wanted’ to sign him in the winter market, but Chelsea ‘opposed the sale’ of Pedro in January. He finally joined them on a free transfer in the last window.

Corriere dello Sport states ‘Pedro agreed to come to Roma after talking to the three players he had faced in the Premier League. He was convinced [to join Roma] after [spending] five years at Chelsea.’