Chelsea target ex-Man Utd player who 'refused to speak to Erik ten Hag' before Old Trafford exit

Chelsea could reignite their interest in former Manchester United midfielder Andreas Pereira, it has been claimed.

Posted Thursday, October 05, 2023 by sportbible.com

Pereira, who currently plays his football in the Premier League for Fulham, called time on a 10-year stay at Old Trafford following the arrival of manager Erik ten Hag.

The Brazilian spent the majority of his time on loan at Granada, Valencia, Lazio and Flamengo before eventually making a permanent transfer to Craven Cottage, where he has established himself as a regular under boss Marco Silva.

Pereira was previously the subject of interest from Chelsea over the summer, as they looked for a replacement for Mason Mount, who joined United in a deal worth £55 million in July.

The Blues subsequently invested in a flurry of midfielders including Andrey Santos, Romeo Lavia and Moisés Caicedo. However, Pereira would find a move to a top European club 'difficult to turn down, according to ESPN Brazil.

It remains to be seen whether Chelsea will reignite their pursuit of the 27-year-old this January, but there is no denying Pereira's desire to play first-team football after he 'didn't speak to Ten Hag' when the Dutchman took charge at Old Trafford.

Explaining the situation in an interview with ESPN, the midfielder said: "I didn't speak with Ten Hag.

"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."