Andreas Pereira: If Man Utd call me I’ll be ready and happy to come back
There is a time when every young player aiming for stardom comes to a crossroads. Staying at Manchester United with limited game time or going out on loan to a smaller club in Spain to rack up the minutes was Andreas Pereira’s ultimatum last summer.
He – and the club – sat down and concluded that going abroad for a season-long loan to Granada would be beneficial to all parties involved.
“José Mourinho and I sat down together and we decided it was better for my development to go out on-loan,” the Brazilian international said. “What helped me choose was that the Granada coach [Lucas Alvarez] spoke to me and gave me a good feeling about it.”
“It was part of my decision to go to Spain. It’s a different culture to England and I wanted to experience it.
“Mourinho supported my decision and I’m glad the club stood behind me.”
To be a young player at Manchester United carries enormous pressure. With limited game time to obtain match fitness and rhythm, it is difficult to apply yourself and hit the ground the running.
There has been plenty of speculation regarding Pereira’s immediate future – whether or not he’d stay at Granada to see out the season-long loan or come back to Manchester.
“I’ve heard a lot of rumours. If Man Utd call me I’ll be ready and happy to come back, but if not, I’ll stay here and do my job for Granada.
“I get in touch with them [Man Utd staff] all the time – they ask me how it is in Granada, how it’s going.
“Mourinho sends me messages after the game, asking how it was. He likes to keep in touch. It shows they are watching me.”
In the 2015/16 season, under Louis Van Gaal, Pereira recorded four appearances in the Premier League and 11 in the U-23 league.
Wind forward a year and jump over to Spain, the tidy playmaker has already made 12 appearances for La Liga side Granada and is making quite the impression.
“I’m here for game time. I wasn’t getting a lot from Man United and the experience of playing every week to get that in my legs is important.
“It’s about dealing with a different kind of pressure. We [Granada] are at the bottom of the table and a pressure that I would never have experienced at Manchester United.
“It’s good for me as a player to have this kind of pressure,” Pereira said.
His relationship with LVG has remained professional at all times, even when he wasn’t starting games.
“My relationship with Louis was normal like every player has with a coach. I had done well under him and had no problems with him.
Talking of both Mourinho and LVG, Pereira says they’re not comparable: “They are different, of course. It’s a different mentality of a manager. Mourinho is a great manager and Louis has his own style.”
When at Manchester United, the young Brazilian played across the front three in attack but couldn’t hold down a specific position.
“My position is attacking midfielder – as a number 8 or 10, and if necessary, I can play on the left-wing.
“I’ve been playing in a lot of positions, but my best position is in central or attacking midfield.”
Manchester United fans should be excited by this starlet coming back – whether that be in January or next summer – and playing in England. His skilful ability and work ethic will suit Mourinho’s United down to the ground.
“I see my future at Manchester United. I have my contract with United and hopefully, I can go back with them and prove myself.”
Follow Liam Canning on Twitter @LiamPaulCanning
