EXCLUSIVE: Ex-Chelsea man admits he wouldn’t be shocked by winger’s exit

ANTONIO CONTE has a 'big call' to make on how to handle Pedro's situation this summer, former Chelsea winger Pat Nevin believes.

By Marc Williams

FUTURE IN DOUBT: Pedro could leave Chelsea this summer

The Spanish winger failed to settled in the Premier League last season following his £20m move from Barcelona.

The 28-year-old hit the headlines recently by revealing that he had held talks over a shock return to his former club.

He has since rebuffed those comments but his future at Stamford Bridge remains unclear, especially given that Conte is set to stamp his mark on his new squad.

Nevin, who spent five seasons in west London, reckons this summer could see Pedro's Chelsea career go either way.

Speaking exclusively to Starsport, Nevin said: "It's a big, big call for the new manager.

"If Conte wants to get rid of three or four to get the funds to bring in new faces, it wouldn't be a shock to anyone if Pedro was one to go.

"But on the other hand it wouldn't be a shock if he stays and then has a really good second season either."

Pedro endured a torrid debut season with Chelsea, netting just eight goals in 40 appearances for the Blues.

He fell well behind the standards he set at Barca but Nevin believes the World Cup can prove this worth next term if he stays.

Nevin added: "What he did last season obviously wasn't to the level that he would have hoped for.

"I would give him the excuse that it was his first season in a new league and a new team and also the fact that he was playing in a team that was seriously, seriously struggling and had a rotten season.

"He had good times and obviously less good times last season.

"The one big disappointment is that he is a goalscorer and his numbers were really flat compared with his Barcelona numbers.

"That could all change in his second season, if he stays."