On-loan Manchester United goalkeeper Joel Pereira playing for Hearts this season in the Scottish Premiership. (Getty Images)
According to Manchester Evening News, Manchester United are planning to recall Joel Pereira from his loan spell at Hearts.
With the Scottish Premiership now concluded and Hearts being relegated into the second division, the Red Devils are now keen to bring back their goalkeeper to Old Trafford.
Meanwhile, 23-year-old Pereira suffered a torrid time at Tynecastle Park, conceding 45 goals from 25 matches. He managed just 5 clean sheets altogether this season despite getting regular time after earning himself a move to Hearts in search of more game time.
Pereira seemed to be in such bad form that he managed just one clean sheet in his last 14 league games for Hearts. This subsequently led to the Portuguese being dropped from the team’s final four league matches of the season.
Pereira is now expected to return to Old Trafford. However, a decision on his future is yet to be made, with the Premier League season still not over.
The Portuguese shot-stopper, who joined Manchester United as a youngster back in 2012, has spent the majority of his time either on the sidelines or on loan with sides such as Rochdale, Belenenses, Vitoria Setubal, KV Kortrijk and most recently, Hearts.
The presence of David de Gea as the side’s undisputed No.1 goalkeeper had always limited Pereira’s entry into the first-team line-up. This season was supposed to be Pereira’s breakthrough season considering the number of opportunities he got in Scotland.
However, luck seems to not favour the United man, who has fallen down the pecking order at Old Trafford even further. Given his poor displays between the sticks for Hearts this season, he will find himself behind David de Gea, Dean Henderson, and Sergio Romero.
Meanwhile, United also have veteran Lee Grant and youngster Nathan Bishop in their ranks, meaning Pereira’s chances are going to be increasingly limited in the coming days. Having failed all this while to nail down a regular spot, Pereira, who has a contract at Old Trafford until next summer, seems surplus to club’s requirements.
With the side already having enough back up in their ranks, it would be better for them to offload their out-of-form goalkeeper as it would save them a lot of time and money.
Manchester United have as many as five goalkeepers excluding Pereira, meaning his chances are going to be extremely rare in the future. Also, having failed miserably despite getting enough opportunity at Hearts, it is better for United to let go of their academy graduate. The Red Devils should rather sell him and make use of that money to bolster areas that need improvement.
