Andreas Pereira should technically be considered a success for the Manchester United academy. He has made 75 appearances for the first team in the Premier League, domestic cups and even in Europe; so if the aim of the club's development squad is to create players ready for the first team, then it has done its job.
This is where the plaudits end, however, because if the academy did its job in creating a player who was ready for senior football, then United as a whole failed to continue Pereira's development into a key member of the squad for years to come. Between those 75 appearances, Pereira has been on multiple loan spells to Valencia, Granada, Lazio and Flamengo and only in the 2019-20 season was he a first team regular.
Although he's a technically gifted player, the Brazilian has only shown this in flashes; some fans refer to him as the 'Pre-season Pirlo' for his tendency to score long-range strikes in pre-season friendlies. However Pereira's decision-making and awareness is not up to scratch, he seems tactically lacking and, now 26, United have decided that is unlikely to change.
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Now it seems Pereira is set to leave and join Fulham for a reported £9m fee, with a further £3m to be paid in add-ons, And while this is a good deal for a player that many United fans had given up hope on receiving a fee for many years ago, it still highlights a problem.
As with a number of United's transfers and mistakes over the past decade, the club must learn a lesson from him. Hopefully, then they will not make the same errors again under Erik ten Hag.
United have a talented crop of youngsters, especially in the midfield position. Hannibal Mejbri, James Garner, Kobbie Mainoo, Isak Aaron-Hansen, Charlie Savage and Zidane Iqbal — to name a few — all are considered massive talents in their age groups and the fans are hoping that some will be able to be part of the first team in the future.
Garner was on loan at Nottingham Forest last season and fans are waiting to see whether he will be part of Ten Hag's plans for the upcoming campaign or loaned out again, but he is expected to lead the way among United's youth talent. But if the same thing happens to the 20-year-old that happened to Pereira, then it would feel like a missed opportunity.
United have long been famed for their academy, but with only three youth team products regularly part of the senior squad, this is a reputation they have been failing to live up to in recent years.
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