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Andreas Pereira, Jesse Lingard don’t want to leave Man United

by Red Billy

Manchester United’s Andreas Pereira says he would not play for another Premier League club.

Pereira has been one of United’s major disappointments this season. He featured in 23 of 26 Premier League games, scoring just one goal, until manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer finally axed him after a woeful performance against Club Brugge in the Europa League.

The 24-year-old’s poor form has led to mounting speculation that he will be offloaded in the summer and the majority of United fans have lost patience with him, with many calling for him to be transferred.

But, speaking in an interview with Globo Esporte’s podcast GE Santos via Sport Witness, the player laid out his future plans – and they suggest he will be at Old Trafford for a long time to come.

‘For now, I only dream of playing here. But of course, as a player, you would always like to play for another big club’ Pereira said in the podcast.

‘I really like Barcelona and Real Madrid, they are top teams too. Bayern Munich. But at the moment I’m focused here at Manchester United.’

‘They provided everything for me since I was 16. So, I’d play here my whole life until I won everything here, then I’d go to [my home club in Brazil] Santos.’

‘So from here to play for another team in England, I think it’s difficult. I don’t think I’d do it. Not in England.’

Pereira’s comments clearly state that he is not interested in leaving Old Trafford for many years unless it was for the likes of Real Madrid, which would seem somewhat delusional at this stage in his career.

With a contract that runs three more years to 2023, if the Brazilian chooses to dig his heels in and stay at Old Trafford there will be little that the club can do to force him to leave.

The news comes just days after fellow flop Jesse Lingard was also reported to be in no hurry to leave Manchester, with a source saying the 27-year-old ‘will not be hounded out of the club if he does not want to leave.’

Lingard does not have the luxury of three more years on his contract like Pereira and will be entering into the last year of his current deal in July. But if he declines to leave, United might have to trigger a one-year extension to protect his value and could end up sitting with the two misfits for another two years.

Both players have a meagre market value of £15 million. Lingard is reported to earn £80,000 per week and Pereira £30,000.

Having told the duo recently that ‘your standard has to improve’, Solskjaer will no doubt be keen to move them on in the summer and save the £5.75 million in salaries that they are costing the club. However, as things stand, that might prove to be much more difficult than he, or anyone else, might have imagined.

United might have to finish their Premier League season at neutral grounds as the authorities try to ensure player safety. How much do you know about those neither-home-nor-away games the Red Devils have played in the past? Take our quiz below to find out.


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