With the likes of Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard, Nemanja Matic and Juan Mata all leaving Manchester United this summer, the demand for midfielders is ever so relevant at the Theatre of Dreams.
With the transfer market looking slim for high profile midfielders, an option Erik Ten Hag and Manchester United may look to evaluate are players in their own backyard, with none other than the pre-season Pirlo arriving back at Manchester United after a season long loan at Flamengo.
As pre-season arrives, there is no better player to talk about other than Andreas Pereira. The 26-year-old Brazilian international who joined the Red Devils in 2013 from PSV came to the promised land with an abundance of talent.
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Unfortunately for the time that Andreas Pereira has been at the club, it has been somewhat of a failure for all parties involved.
Since joining Manchester United in 2013, Andrea Pereira has been loaned out a total of 4 times and has rarely been suited in a Manchester United outfit in his 9 years at the club. Although being at the Red Devils throughout his professional career, it is the La Liga which Andreas Pereira has featured in the most, with the Brazilian having played a total of 58 games total in the competition under Valencia and Granada CF.
Notably, it had been in Granada where the Brazilian played his most consistent run of games, with Pereira playing 2,832 minutes in the 16/17 season, contributing to 5 goals and 3 assists, including a wonderful goal against Las Palmas.
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Unfortunately for Pereira, things never got going for his career with the following season spent on loan in Valencia, with the midfielder falling out of regular team football and then returning to Manchester United.
Andreas Pereira has been an intriguing case of Manchester United’s transfer policy, as the midfielder has yet been able to attract suitors for a sale.
Unfortunately, the blame may not purely go to Manchester United as the midfielder has failed to make an impact on teams when on loan, leading the player into a corner with little options to work with.
In a loan deal which sent the Brazilian back to his native country playing for Flamengo, Andreas Pereira was unable to set the world on fire making it unlikely Flamengo would decide to trigger the buy option for the Brazilian.
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Fortunately for the Brazilian, a lifeline awaits at the Theatre of Dreams with new manager Erik Ten Hag. Whether Ten Hag sees Andreas Pereira as the right fit into his midfield or not the lack of options at United at the moment may see an opportunity for the player.
Unfortunately for Andreas Pereira, the opportunity to play under Erik ten Hag relies on the transfer activity in the transfer window. With the Dutchman identifying Frenkie De Jong as the man to lead the revolution at Manchester United, as well as a reported offer for Christian Eriksen, the likelihood of game time for the Brazilian international seems to be hanging on by a thread.
The main issue for Andreas Pereira is his lack of consistent game time in his career so far, as this lack of game time will be detrimental for the 26-year-old considering he is yet to hit his prime. This may see the Brazilian look to secure a deal abroad and find suitors for the player to get his career back on track.
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With the names linked to Manchester United particularly in the midfield, it is clear to see that it is an area which is in crucial need of strengthening. With other positions also needing addressing, the sale of Andreas Pereira could help both parties as Manchester United look to bolster their squad.
Another key reason as to why Andreas Pereira may not succeed under Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United is due to the Dutchman's philosophy into playing the youth.
Erik Ten Hag may look to youngsters such as James Garner and Hannibal Mejbri to play a larger role next season at Old Trafford, as opposed to offering game time to Andreas Pereira.
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Nevertheless, the Brazilian International will get his chance to impress the new boss during Manchester United’s pre-season tour which starts in Bangkok on the 12 July, where Manchester United play Liverpool before heading off to Australia to play a series of games against Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Melbourne Victory.
Unless the Red Devils find suitors for Andreas Pereira before then, Erik ten Hag will finally get to see first hand why the Brazilian is often referred to as ‘Pre-season Pirlo.’
Topics: Manchester United, Manchester United Transfer News & Rumours, Andreas Pereira, Erik Ten Hag