Barcelona insist Pedro is staying and reveal Mateo Kovacic interest

Pedro: Going nowhere, according to Barcelona

Barcelona's international sporting director says Pedro will not be leaving the club in the summer.

The Spain international has had a restricted first-team role this season due to the outstanding exploits of the club’s first-choice attacking trio of Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi and Neymar.

Liverpool, Chelsea and Inter Milan have been tipped to offer him a route of the Camp Nou at the end of this season, but Barca’s international sporting director Ariedo Braida has emphasised the winger’s importance and believes he will stay on in Catalonia.

When asked about Pedro, he told FcInterNews.it: "He’ll carry on as a Barcelona player, he’s incredibly important for us and he won’t leave. He has a contract to continue at the Camp Nou and will do, even more so given the FIFA sanction. I don’t think we’ll change our minds in January, he’s an important player."

Braida also expressed his interest in Inter Milan’s Croatian midfielder Mateo Kovacic, while he said that the club’s transfer ban, which is in place until January, does not prevent them from agreeing deals this summer.

He added: "At the moment I can’t say anything, there’s nothing definite at the moment, but I can’t deny that he’s (Kovacic) a player with the qualities we like.

"The rule is clear, Barcelona can’t sign in the summer transfer window, but that doesn’t stop us seeking verbal agreements looking to January."

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Brendan Rodgers vows to help Steven Gerrard become a manager

Steven Gerrard has spoken of a desire to go into coaching

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers says he would be privileged to help Steven Gerrard become a football manager and says he would definitely be willing to work with him in the future.

Gerrard, who will make his final Anfield appearance on Saturday Night Football ahead of his summer move to LA Galaxy, has spoken of a desire to go into coaching once he retires.

Gerrard may also hope to be good enough in that side of the game to one day return to his boyhood club.

Rodgers heralded Gerrard as a “symbol” not just for the Merseyside club but for the city of Liverpool itself, and the Reds boss believes he has all the attributed to become a top coach.

Rodgers said: “When his time is over as a player, he would be someone I'd love to have working with me if it's coaching he wants to get into.

“It's certainly something I have addressed with him a number of times. Steven is leaving here as a player, but it's certainly not permanent. The opportunity for him to come back will always be there as long as I'm here.

“I could work with him as a coach and if he wanted to go into management later down the line, I could help him prepare for that.

Rodgers joked: “But hopefully he won’t be manager here for a while yet!”

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