Manchester United manager insists they pulled out of race to sign forward

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has  insisted that they backed off of a deal to sign Pedro from Barcelona before he moved to Chelsea.

United were heavily linked with the forward all summer but Chelsea swooped him to sign him yesterday, Thursday, August 20.

United's chief Ed Woodward was said to have traveled to Barcelona to seal the deal and has been heavily criticised by fans after losing the play to Chelsea.

But Van Gaal has backed the under-fire Woodward and insisted that they pulled out of a £22million deal for Pedro.

"I think when we want Pedro it was not any problem because there was a clause in his contract," Van Gaal said.

"It was the easiest transfer. I have said before what we are doing is guiding a process and in that process we make decisions.

"You want to separate Ed Woodward and me. Never. Every day I am updated by him and I trust him. I don’t think that people have to doubt Ed Woodward because he has proven for many years that he is the right person on the right spot."

Van Gaal has also had enough of the whole Pedro saga, saying he does not want to say too much about it.

"We cannot say what we want. I have the responsibility of protecting the interests of the club and my players, and I cannot say too much."

He however admitted that Pedro fit the profile of the player he was looking .

"I cannot lie. I cannot deny that because he is fast and creative. That’s why I answered that question," Van Gaal sayid.

"Then people think he is coming to Manchester United. I have never said that. I said to ask Pedro.

Van Gaal was also coy when he was asked about Manchester United's bid for .

"I cannot answer that either because then I interfere and I don’t want to interfere. Ed Woodward is doing these things and he does them very well," Van Gaal said.

"You have to wait and see. It is not any pressure for me with something like that. We have 28 players and we did it last year without Pedro and other players."

Watch highlights of United's last game against Club brugge, below: