Erik ten Hag asks forgotten Man Utd star to stay for pre-season after £11m bid

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has asked Andreas Pereira to delay making a decision on his future because he wants to assess the midfielder in pre-season, according to reports.

The 26-year-old appeared to have little future at Old Trafford, having spent the last two seasons on loan at Lazio and then Flamengo – with the Brazilian side making an attempt to turn the move into a permanent one.

Pereira is also on the radar of newly promoted Fulham, who have made an offer worth £8.6million up front which will rise to £11m with add-ons.

That would appear to be a great deal for a player who has not made an appearance for United since June 2020, but Ten Hag does not want to cash in just yet.

According to ESPN, the Dutch coach is keen to see the midfielder in action up close and has informed Pereira he would like to assess him during pre-season.

Ten Hag wants to include the Brazilian in United’s tour of Thailand and Australia next month and feels he is a good stylistic fit for the football he wants to play at Old Trafford.

But Pereira has been enormously frustrated with his lack of game time under several different United managers and was fully expecting to leave the club for good this summer.

Now he will have to decide if he can get the regular first-team football he craves under Ten Hag, or whether his career is best served elsewhere.

Flamengo are not able to rival Fulham’s bid for Pereira, with the west London club the clear favourites to sign him, though Fenerbahce have also registered an interest but are yet to make a formal offer.

If Ten Hag does decide he wants Pereira as part of his squad, he would need to commit to a fresh contract with his current deal expiring next summer.

This window represents United’s last opportunity to cash in and Fulham’s £11m bid may be too tempting considering Pereira is only likely to be a rotation option at best next season.

United’s top transfer priority is wrapping up a deal for Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong, with the two clubs thought to be close to reaching an agreement at last.

Ten Hag is also believed to be keen on bringing in a second, more defence-orientated midfielder – meaning opportunities could be very limited for Pereira.

United are also looking to bring in a new right winger, with Ajax star Antony linked with a move, as well as a striker, centre-back and right-back as Ten Hag attempts to overhaul a team that limped to a sixth place finish in the Premier League last season.

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news onFacebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Source: Read Full Article