Pereira hints at extending Man United stay

Former Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke says he is pleased with the progress made under Louis van Gaal, but believes he will be under more pressure to deliver the Premier League title next season.

Andreas Pereira has hinted that he hopes to stay at Manchester United by speaking of his belief that he can earn a place in Louis van Gaal’s side.

Pereira, 19, is out of contract at United in the summer and is reportedly the subject of interest from Paris Saint-Germain.

The attacking midfielder’s situation has brought comparisons with Paul Pogba, who left United at a similar stage in his career — he departed for Juventus after rejecting a new contract at Old Trafford due to being frustrated by a lack of first-team opportunities.

Pereira was given his debut by Van Gaal in August’s 4-0 Capital One Cup second-round defeat to MK Dons and made his solitary Premier League appearance to date as a replacement in March’s 3-0 win over Tottenham.

And while United only have four more games left this season, he is keen to get more opportunities, suggesting he could look to extend his stay in Manchester.

Andreas Pereira is out of contract with Manchester United in the summer.

He told MUTV: “I think I’m working hard every day and doing my best on the pitch. Hopefully, I can continue this form.

“I can play attacking midfield, on the left wing or right wing. I think these are my best positions and, to get everything out of myself, I have to play in these positions.

“The coaches tell me I have to be further up the pitch because I can score goals as well. We have other players in our team who can do the more defensive jobs.

“I know I can get a chance [in the first team] and I want another chance and the next step.”

Pereira, who has been shortlisted for United’s under-21 Player of the Year award, represented Belgium at under-17 level but switched to Brazil — the country of his parents’ birth — and has become an under-20 international for the Selecao.

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service – if this is your content and you’re reading it on someone else’s site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php#publishers.