“Andreas has all of the attributes to change into an integral a part of the primary workforce.”

That quote got here from then-Manchester United supervisor Luis Van Gaal nearly eight years in the past, stood alongside a Brazilian teenage dynamo with the world at his ft.

Andreas Pereira had already been at Previous Trafford for 4 years. United had crushed off competitors from lots of Europe’s different elite sides to signal him from PSV as a 15-year-old. It appeared their religion had confirmed well-founded with a meteoric rise capped off by a first-team breakthrough in 2014/15, and the membership’s U21 Participant of the Yr award. Now, they had been solely too eager to signal him up for a brand new long-term deal.

However quick ahead seven seasons and solely 44 Premier League appearances, and this had change into a relationship which might by no means fairly get off the bottom.

4 mortgage spells of various success – all in aggressive leagues – in addition to bit-part improvement within the Premier League had by no means been sufficient to persuade United that they had a participant definitely worth the integral function Van Gaal had hoped.

Even when their very own scouts, on a fact-finding mission in South America, had been blown away by his performances for his last mortgage aspect Flamengo in 2022, it was not sufficient. Time to maneuver on.

“I knew I wanted to maneuver completely final summer season, to start out from scratch and construct one thing,” he instructed The Solar.

“I performed loads out of place on the left or proper wing so I did not get 5 – 6 video games in my finest place and the boldness to take that place.”

That everlasting transfer may have include Flamengo however after impressing within the Brazilian prime flight, they pulled the plug on a deal – a lot to the general public chagrin of their supervisor.

The highest brass had been burned by his slip resulting in the profitable aim within the Copa Libertadores last towards home rivals Palmeiras. It left Pereira again to sq. one – however then in stepped Marco Silva.

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An £11m transfer to Fulham was sealed in July quickly after his first dialog with the supervisor of their native Portuguese. “Marco was crucial for this transfer,” Pereira mentioned on the time. “I spoke loads with him, and he was a key consider me being right here.”

He added to The Solar: “When Marco known as me, he mentioned it was ‘an ideal alternative so that you can present individuals who you actually are’.”

Pereira had massive sneakers to fill at Craven Cottage, the place he changed the Liverpool-bound Fabio Carvalho. However Silva’s private funding in his switch has not been for nothing. Seven months on, the 27-year-old has lastly discovered residence.

Removed from the bit-part function of earlier seasons, he has began all 24 of Fulham’s Premier League video games since he joined, entrance and centre of their midfield trio. It will be a shock if that does not change into 25 when Wolves go to Craven Cottage on Friday, stay on Sky Sports activities Premier League.

“I do know lots of people had doubts after I determined to signal him however I knew his qualities and his character,” Silva mentioned in October. By then Pereira had already hit the bottom working, with 4 assists and a aim from his first 12 video games.

The Fulham supervisor has a knack of getting one of the best out of Portuguese-speaking gamers. The native tongue helps, in addition to his information, and understanding, of the sort of participant and tradition within the Brazilian and Portuguese prime flights.

Fulham are reaping the rewards. Joao Palhinha, a summer season signing from Sporting Lisbon, is shining on the base of midfield. Additional again, Silva was the person to persuade Ajax-bound Richarlison to affix him at Watford from Fluminense – a transfer which labored out fairly effectively for participant, supervisor and membership.

Pereira may but be his crowning glory. Succeeding as a inventive midfielder at Premier League stage stays one of many hardest roles in soccer, however he has taken to it in a approach even Silva couldn’t have envisaged.

Solely Kevin De Bruyne, Christian Eriksen and Buyako Saka have supplied extra assists this season. Solely Bruno Fernandes and De Bruyne have created extra possibilities.

These are gamers who would get into most Premier League groups. Barely half a 12 months in the past United could not give Pereira away quick sufficient – now loads of Fulham’s rivals shall be questioning whether or not they need to have taken an opportunity on him too.

No aspect within the Premier League have scored extra set-piece objectives than Fulham, with three made by Pereira crosses. He holds the joint-best return from lifeless balls within the division.

On this well-oiled workforce, his success must be right down to greater than about extra than simply choosing a move. Fulham have defied expectation to take pleasure in a sensible shot at a European place as a lot via exhausting graft as technical high quality.

Pereira has his personal function in that. He ranks third on the membership for sprints, and received possession again greater than any of Fulham’s different attacking gamers this season.

He credit one other Portuguese coach, Jose Mourinho, with growing his defensive sport – regardless of barely that includes throughout the two and a half years he was Manchester United supervisor. Though he would have most well-liked to be enjoying extra repeatedly at that time, it has helped to serve that every one his frustrations earlier in his profession haven’t been in useless – and have helped him sync completely at Craven Cottage.

“The best way Marco performs is the very same approach I take into consideration soccer,” Pereira instructed The Guardian. “Urgent, scoring a variety of objectives, taking dangers. Defensively you need to be disciplined too. However I be at liberty.”