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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Ben Hayward

Barcelona signing Pedri aiming for quick first-team role at Camp Nou as he reveals Andres Iniesta inspiration

Barcelona's 17-year-old signing Pedri says he is aiming to secure a first-team spot immediately at Camp Nou.

The exciting attacker agreed a €5million move from Las Palmas last September, but stayed with the Canary Islanders for the 2019-20 season.

Pedri - full name Pedro Gonzalez Lopez - played 36 times for Las Palmas in Spain's second tier during the past campaign and scored four goals.

"First of all, my aim is to do pre-season and to try to stay with the first team," he told Barcelona's official website.

"I am not focused on one sole position, I'll play wherever the coach wants."

The teenager is an attacking midfielder and admits he has looked to learn from Barcelona players past and present.

"I always focused on Andres Iniesta and now I look at Frenkie de Jong," he said.

"Visiting the facilities a few months ago was a dream. The Camp Nou impacts on you.

"I always dreamed of that tunnel. Now I hope to be there dressed in [Barcelona's] red and blue."

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