What does the future hold for Andreas Pereira?
“When you are 19 and already in the selection of Manchester United, then you must have a big talent otherwise you would not be in there.” The words of Andreas Pereira’s boss Louis van Gaal. It shows the esteem that the young Belgian/Brazilian is held in at the club, along with the fact that his contract negotiations were such a hot topic before his new three-year deal.
With 45 minutes against MK Dons, a cameo against Spurs and several appearances on the senior bench under his belt, what does the future hold for Manchester United’s 2014/15 under-21 player of the year?
Well, for starters, regular United youth team watchers will be hoping his long-term future remains at Old Trafford. Rumours of PSG, Juventus and PSV lurking around the 19 year-old and silence on Pereira’s part prior to the contract renewal announcement had many fans sweating over his future; Pogba’s situation has caused a whole new outlook on United’s prodigies. Many now suggest that greater lengths should be taken to keep them rather than the assumption that it’s only downhill after United, as the Frenchman’s appearance in the Champions League final and hefty price tag prove that this is not always true.
Pereira’s link-up play with the likes of James Wilson and Januzaj has showcased what he and his fellow youngsters can bring to the first team and their progression and abilities are a just cause for excitement.
“It was a natural decision… I feel Brazilian… nothing more and nothing less.” The words of the former under 15-17 Belgian international Pereira, who, due to his switch of allegiances, was able to represent Brazil at the recent Under-20 World Cup. Apart from his fine penalty taking skills as shown in two shoot-outs and his seemingly newfound ability to take corners on his weaker foot, he was able to show the impact that he has from the bench with all of his 2 goals and 2 assists coming as a substitute, including one of the goals of the tournament in the final.
This is most likely what his role will be in the United squad next season; with various top names to compete with for places, in the big Premier League matches at least, he’ll have to settle for appearances coming off the bench and he’ll hope he can do enough to impress next season.
Where will he and perhaps just as importantly, where does he want to play? Encouragingly, Pereira has said that “wherever the manager asks me to play, I’ll play.” This unfussy attitude will go a long way to aiding his quest for minutes. He also believes he can play “on the wing or in midfield” which means that the likes of Di Maria, Mata, Young and new boy Memphis Depay are the competition on the flanks.
His ability to play in midfield includes both centrally and in attacking midfield which is where he said he sees himself long-term, funnily enough his friend Adnan Januzaj has said the same thing. He came on in the number eight role against MK Dons and impressed, suggesting that Herrera, Fellaini and any potential new arrivals stand in Pereira’s way in that midfield role at the moment. His brief outing against Tottenham at right-wing shows that he is an option there and his versatility will be greatly appreciated by van Gaal, not only as an option for the bench but also starting as the Dutchman said that “one player every year in the first-team as a line-up player” is important and a measure of the youth system.
So what about Pereira’s long-term future? Due to the playmaker’s skillset he has a very high ceiling as far as how much he could potentially achieve in the game. With sufficient development he could go on to be one of the world’s best players; much depends on how he is developed in his formative years in professional football.
He will have to hold down a regular position at some stage, as utility players rarely go on to set the world alight, his attacking prowess would see him excel further up the pitch however if he were to start playing in central midfield regularly, he’d have much to learn, especially in his off-the-ball skills. His luring to the Brazilian national side shows how much the Seleҫão official’s rate him and it’s conceivable that he will be in the senior team in years to come if he continues to improve.
Back in Manchester, with all of the players currently coming through in the academy, there’ll be no lack of quality players to develop with Pereira and build a strong side for the foreseeable future. Whatever is to come for Andreas Pereira, it’ll be highly interesting to observe the speed and direction of his career trajectory.