Ange Postecoglou and Tottenham Hotspur are hoping to give Andreas Pereira another chance to shine on the big stage after he reignited his career by swapping Manchester United for Fulham, it has been claimed.
Pereira spent time in the PSV academy but joined Man Utd U18s in January 2012. He eventually gained promotion to Man Utd’s senior team in the summer of 2015 but went on to have loan spells at Granada, Valencia and Lazio to gain more senior experience.
The central attacking midfielder, who can also operate on the left flank, was generally highly rated at Man Utd but never managed to live up to his full potential with the Red Devils and registered just four goals and five assists in 75 appearances for the club, while also having another loan spell with Flamengo.
Pereira was due to return to Man Utd ahead of the 2022-23 season but he instead pushed for an exit to establish himself as a first-team player elsewhere.
Fulham went on to sign Pereira in a £10million deal and he has since become one of the Cottagers’ key players.
The Brazilian’s classy performances for Fulham have led to rumours that he might leave in a big-money deal. According to reports in Pereira’s home country, the player has previously received offers from Atletico Madrid and Al-Ettifaq, both of which have been rejected.
When originally joining Fulham, Pereira supposedly told manager Marco Silva that he would definitely stay for two years to get his career back on track.
But those two years are up, and there is now fresh talk about the 28-year-old securing a major transfer.
Tottenham transfers: Ange Postecoglou eyes Andreas Pereira
It is claimed that Tottenham have ‘expressed their interest’ in Pereira. Clearly, Postecoglou likes what the creative star can bring to the table and feels he can help Pereira emerge into one of the Premier League’s best midfielders, something Man Utd clearly failed to achieve.
But Spurs are not alone in wanting to raid Fulham for Pereira. Aston Villa and Newcastle United have also been in touch with Pereira’s entourage to find out whether a deal can be struck.
Well-known agent and businessman Kia Joorabchian is said to be heading up the negotiations as the race for Pereira intensifies.
It is unclear at this stage how much Pereira will end up costing Spurs, Villa or Newcastle. As Pereira’s Fulham contract runs until June 2026, Silva’s side can hold out for a decent fee and should be able to double or even treble their money on the playmaker.
When asked about his Man Utd exit last year, Pereira incredibly admitted that he refused to speak with Erik ten Hag so that he would not change his mind.
“I didn’t speak with Ten Hag,” he said. “I know him because I worked with him at PSV but I was determined in my head and maybe if I spoke with the manager again I would stay. In my head I was thinking ‘I need to go, I need to feel confident and play’ and that’s what I did.
“At United I had a lot of memories; good memories, bad memories. It’s been 10 years at the club. I arrived when I was 16 so, you know, a young boy. It was an amazing ride but I got to the stage where I thought maybe it was best not to stay.
“I wanted to feel more loved and I wanted to play every game. What Fulham offered me and what [manager] Marco [Silva] offered me, it was the perfect opportunity.”
Star discusses why Man Utd players fail
In April, Pereira spoke with Rio Ferdinand about his Man Utd spell and went on to name Angel Di Maria as the best star he played alongside who flopped.
“Sometimes it’s not the right time at the right club,” Pereira said. “Some things don’t go well for you, it doesn’t mean you’re a s*** player.
“I’ve seen it with a lot of players at Man Utd, big names that come and then don’t play good.”
He continued: “For me, Angel Di Maria. From the first session, he was unbelievable.
“He arrived from the Champions League final, being the best player, after the first session everyone said we would win the league. This guy was amazing.
“The Leicester goal… When he did the dink and the heart (celebration) after… Then you know what happened. It was crazy.”
