Former director reveals how Barcelona signed Pedri: ‘We broke all the Big Data theories’

Former director reveals how Barcelona signed Pedri: ‘We broke all the Big Data theories’ Pedri has established himself as one of FC Barcelona’s most influential players and among the best midfielders in the world in recent years. His intelligence on the ball, composure under pressure and ability to dictate the tempo have made him indispensable to the club. After another outstanding campaign, the Canary Islander remains one of the engines of Hansi Flick’s side. Now representing Spain at the 2026 World Cup, Pedri is once again expected to play a pivotal role in La Roja’s ambitions. His form and creativity could prove decisive as Luis de la Fuente’s team aims for success on the biggest stage. Ramon Planes reveals the story behind the transfer Former Barcelona sporting executive Ramon Planes, now working at Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad, has revisited the remarkable story of how the Catalan giants secured Pedri’s signature. Speaking to Juanma Castano on COPE , Planes explained how Barcelona identified the midfielder while he was still a youth player at Las Palmas. From the moment they saw him, the club realised they had to act quickly. One of the best in the world. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images) “We broke all the theories of big data,” Planes revealed, emphasising that Pedri’s qualities exceeded every statistical projection available. “Other major clubs in Spain also had information on Pedri,” he added. Marbella matches changed everything Planes recalled that the decisive stage of the scouting process came during two matches played in Marbella, particularly a tribute game for Ruben Castro involving Real Betis and Las Palmas. Those performances convinced Barcelona’s sporting department that waiting any longer would be dangerous. “We thought that if he started playing in the Segunda Division , we’d already be too late,” Planes admitted. The concern was clear: once Pedri made his professional breakthrough, the competition for his signature would intensify and the price would inevitably rise. A transfer completed in just one week Barcelona’s internal strategy was simple. “We had to make the decision before the player made his official debut,” Planes explained. Ramon Planes played a key role in Pedri’s signing. (Photo by JOSEP LAGO/AFP via Getty Images) With that philosophy in mind, Barcelona accelerated negotiations and completed the transfer in just a week, an unusually rapid process for a player who would later become one of the brightest talents of his generation. In hindsight, the move is widely regarded as one of Barcelona’s smartest pieces of business in recent years. Pedri’s best position Planes also weighed in on the long-running debate regarding Pedri’s ideal role, particularly with Spain. For the former Barcelona director, there is little doubt. In his view, Pedri’s natural position is as an advanced central midfielder, or number eight, where he can constantly influence possession while making a difference in the final third. “He should play managing the ball and creating, but close to the penalty area,” he said. With Barcelona and Spain both relying heavily on him, Pedri continues to justify the faith shown in him years ago when Barcelona moved swiftly and trusted their eyes over algorithms. As Planes put it, sometimes talent simply cannot be measured by numbers.