ANDREAS PEREIRA has revealed he was left stunned by a ten-word comment in his first meeting with Sir Alex Ferguson.
Manchester United scouted the midfielder after impressing in the Manchester United Premier Cup in 2011.
Pereira, 28, had attracted interest from a host of Premier League clubs such as Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal.
However, he had his mind made up during a visit to the Red Devils’ Carrington training ground.
During the tour, the midfielder was surprisingly introduced to Sir Alex Ferguson, who insisted that he would “always make space for a Brazilian” team.
Pereira said on Rio Ferdinand’s FIVE podcast: “When I went to the training ground, they didn’t even say you are going to meet Fergie or anyone.
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“I remember walking in Carrington, and I was like I want to come.
“Then I was told, ‘someone wants to meet you’ and it was Fergie.
“I just remember him standing in front and I could not believe it.
“My dad did not know what to do.
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“First, he said something and I did not understand it because his English is different
“And then after that, he said, ‘There is always room for a Brazilian on my team’.
“That stuck with me, and I did not even want to go home I just wanted to stay.”
Pereira struggled to cement himself in the starting eleven during his eight-year spell at Old Trafford.
The midfielder was loaned out on four occasions to Granada, Valencia, Lazio and Flamengo.
He admitted that he made the move back to his native Brazil because he wanted to “feel the love” despite playing for his boyhood club’s, Santos, rivals.
Pereira joined Fulham in 2022 and has become one of the most consistent midfielders in the Premier League under manager Marco Silva.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
