Andreas Pereira (Getty Images)
According to The Times, Portuguese outfit Benfica are interested in signing Manchester United midfielder Andreas Pereira in the summer.
The report also suggests that United are willing to offload the £30k-a-week Brazilian along with a number of fringe players. Pereira has also attracted the interest of several Spanish and German clubs, and he could be on the move as he has found game time hard to come by.
Born in Belgium, Pereira started his career with Lommel United before joining PSV Eindhoven’s youth system. He joined Manchester United’s U18 squad in January 2012 and was sent on loan spells to Granada and Valencia.
Since his return to his parent club in the summer of 2018, the Brazilian has been a regular member of the squad but has failed to claim a spot for himself. Last season, he managed to appear in just 15 league games and this season, he made 25 appearances. He has fallen down the pecking order since Bruno Fernandes’ arrival.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men managed to finish 3rd in the league standings after a superb run of form in the second half of the campaign. However, that was possible with the addition of Fernandes from Sporting Lisbon. The Portuguese playmaker has been in sensational form since his arrival and has breathed fresh air into United’s dull attack.
Apart from him, there are two other attacking midfielders in Juan Mata and Pereira. While Mata has been used as a substitute in big games, the Brazilian has seen limited opportunities in the last few months. He seems to completely out of form and thus, offloading him would be a wise decision by the club.
In 40 games across all competitions this season, he has managed just 2 goals and 4 assists, and has failed to convince the manager. The Brazil international has fallen down the pecking order under Solskjaer and keeping him would be a waste of resources. He would just end up on the bench. Moreover, given Fernandes’ form, it is unlikely for him to push his way into the starting XI.
Mata has better experience than Pereira and could come in handy for the club in much-needed situations. Thus, they should look to sell the latter and cash in on him before the transfer window closes.
Given the impact Fernandes has made on the team, it is unlikely for Pereira to get regular game time. He seems surplus to United’s requirements and at 24, he needs to be playing regularly to improve himself. Thus, the decision to sell Pereira would be helpful for both the club and the player as he can revive his career elsewhere.
