As Manchester United spent much of late-2019 attempting to negotiate a deal to bring Bruno Fernandes to the Premier League – Tottenham Hotspur had already found out the hard way that Sporting Lisbon are not the easiest to agree a deal with – the Red Devils had to get a little creative.
According to The Guardian, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side failed with an opening bid of £38 million for the Portugal international four-and-a-bit years ago.
Sporting, at the time, wanted around double. In the end, Manchester United finally compromised on a deal worth just shy of £50 million, and it’s fair to say the Red Devils skipper has been worth every penny – and then some – in the following seasons at Old Trafford.
But had Sporting opted to send United’s follow-up offer back to sender, a player who Bruno Fernandes would eventually get to know, albeit briefly, in England’s north west might have found himself moving in the other direction.
Manchester United eventually won Bruno Fernandes race
Andreas Pereira, speaking to Fulham team-mate Joao Palhinha during a conversation recorded by DAZN Portugal, confirms that he held talks with Sporting and could have ended being included as a makeweight in that hard-earned Fernandes deal.
“It was at the time when I was included in the negotiations with Bruno Fernandes,” Pereira explains. “And there were negotiations with Sporting.
“But nothing came of it.”
Four years on, Pereira’s future is once again the subject of much discussion. The Belgium-born Brazil international, playing the best football of his Premier League career after finally leaving Man United for Fulham to the tune of £10 million, is reportedly a summer target for Spanish giants Atletico Madrid.
More performances like the one Pereira put in during Fulham’s recent 2-0 win at West Ham certainly will not put Atletico off. Back in the Selecao squad for the first time in six years, Pereira scored both goals at the London Stadium, tripling his season’s tally in the space of one afternoon.
Andreas Pereira facing uncertain Fulham future
“West Ham couldn’t deal with him really. He was fantastic playing as a ‘number ten’ and deservedly got Man of the Match,” former Newcastle, Aston Villa and Man City goalkeeper Shay Given told Match of the Day after a win which further cemented Marco Silva’s side in the safety of mid-table.
His first brace in 111 Premier League appearances for Man United and Fulham. After setting up a hat-trick of goals in a 5-0 hammering of West Ham back in December, it’s fair to say David Moyes is just glad to see the back of him.
“Obviously, some people know him more from Man United,” Given argues. “But he’s really stepped up to the plate since going to Fulham. Marco Silva is bringing the best out of him.”
Fernandes is in pretty good form himself these days. The United skipper is expected to be fit to play against Sheffield United at Old Trafford on Wednesday, despite being one of four players to pick up an injury during that thrilling FA Cup semi-final with Coventry City.