Pedri celebrated his 18th birthday on Wednesday and, having become one of LaLiga Santander's most exciting players in this early part of the season, he has reflected on everything that led up to him making the move to Barcelona.
The Canary Islander was bought by Barcelona in September 2019 but was immediately loaned back to Las Palmas, where he played for the 2019/20 season. Then, in the summer of 2020, Pedri made the switch to the Camp Nou.
"I wasn't born and I already belonged to Barcelona," said Pedri, who explained in a documentary released by the Catalan club that his grandfather founded the Barcelona supporters' club in Tegueste, the midfielder's hometown.
In the documentary you can see Pedri with his brother Fer walking around Bajamar in Tenerife, where they spent their childhood years before moving with the whole family to the neighbouring town of Tegueste.
"In Bajamar, a coastal town, I spent a very happy time in my life," Pedri recalled. "My brother is a very important person for me, because he has always been there and has given me a lot of advice."
"We were in the swimming pools or on the pitch," Fer noted.
In Tegueste, his parents still run a bar.
"The people here are very calm, very much on the pitch and that encourages sport quite a lot," explained Pedri's father.
It is precisely his family which form a crucial part of this almost 40-minute documentary, where his coaches also take part, from his first years as a player until his arrival at Las Palmas.
"I saw him train when he was nine years old and the first image I have is that he is a different footballer" and "I had never seen a player like him" are just two of the quotes to have come from his former coaches.
Pedri has impressed in a Barcelona shirt to this point, and he has proven Ronald Koeman wrong, with the Dutchman having stated that the youngsters would not have much game time. Yet, the playmaker has forced his way into the fold, having already played in 11 matches, six of which have been as a starter.
Source: m.allfootballapp.com