Tottenham set to challenge Chelsea for former Manchester United star - Reports
Chelsea reportedly face competition from Tottenham Hotspur in the race to sign former Manchester United attacker Andreas Pereira. The Blues want to bring the Fulham man across London to Stamford Bridge.
Brazilian outlet Globo reports that Spurs are tracking Pereira as they pulled the plug on trying to sign Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze. The Lilywhites are the latest club to pursue the Brazilian, who has two years left on his contract.
Chelsea and Aston Villa are also in the mix for Pereira, who has shone at Craven Cottage since arriving from Manchester United. He cost the Cottagers £10 million, a bargain given his importance, and could be sold at more than double that price.
Pereira, 28, is a key player for Marco Silva. Last season, he registered three goals and nine assists in 44 games across competitions. He left Old Trafford for more first-team opportunities, which he's been afforded.
Chelsea and Tottenham are using the summer transfer window to make changes to their squads. The Blues are prepared to pay £35 million, and United have a 20% sell-on clause.
"I wanted to play" - Chelsea target Andreas Pereira snubbed talks with Manchester United's Erik ten Hag
Pereira left Manchester United shortly after Ten Hag's appointment. The Brazil international didn't give the Dutch coach a chance to try and persuade him to stay at Old Trafford. He touched on this a year after departing:
"I didn’t want to speak to Erik because I knew him and I knew that, at the time, it was always a conversation, like, ‘Andreas, stay here. You’re not going to play every game, maybe one game in every three, you’ll be around the squad’. That’s not what I wanted, I wanted to play."
Pereira struggled for game time throughout his Manchester United career. He appeared 75 times across competitions, managing four goals and five assists over a 10-year spell. He spent most of his time out on loan at Granada, Lazio, Valencia, and Flamengo.
The former PSV Eindhoven youngster has exploded at Fulham, producing the best football of his career. He's taken his first-team opportunities at Craven Cottage with aplomb and may now be headed to a top-four contender.
Chelsea could be an interesting option for Pereira, given the rebuild that has ensued at Stamford Bridge. He could join a midfield consisting of Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo, but Conor Gallagher's future is uncertain.