Andreas Pereira has revealed he dodged talks with new manager Erik ten Hag to ensure his mind wouldn't be changed about leaving Manchester United.
Pereira will return to United for the first time he left the club permanently in the summer after a 10-year stint at Old Trafford. The Brazilian joined Fulham and is enjoying a great season in London as a regular starter in a team that is defying all expectations after their return to the top flight.
The two sides will meet in the FA Cup on Sunday and while Pereira is looking forward to returning to Manchester, he has revealed the thinking behind his brave decision to depart the club he signed for at 16-year-old after several years of loan spells.
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"I didn't speak with Ten Hag," Pereira tells ESPN. "I know him because I worked with him at PSV but I was determined in my head and maybe if I spoke with the manager again I would stay. In my head I was thinking 'I need to go, I need to feel confident and play' and that's what I did.
"At United I had a lot of memories; good memories, bad memories. It's been 10 years at the club. I arrived when I was 16 so, you know, a young boy. It was an amazing ride but I got to the stage where I thought maybe it was best not to stay.
"I wanted to feel more loved and I wanted to play every game. What Fulham offered me and what [manager] Marco [Silva] offered me, it was the perfect opportunity."
Fulham are ninth in the table and still in the running to secure an unlikely European place. Pereira has been a key component of Silva's side and ranks sixth in the assists charts this season. The 27-year-old is feeling at home at Craven Cottage.
"I'm feeling at home here and it's been great so far," Pereira said. "When I first came here they told me that every year in the Premier League they would go down. The main objective was to stay in the Premier League but I spoke with the manager and he told me what he wanted to achieve and the way he wanted to play.
"He was very ambitious and I really liked that. When we were five games into the season we realised we could do something great with the team and it's been amazing. He's very, very strong and he's a great guy. I've been enjoying my football so it's been amazing."
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