Man United star let go by Erik ten Hag is now worth double his sale price three years on

Man United star let go by Erik ten Hag is now worth double his sale price three years on

Manchester United sold one of their academy graduates to a fellow Premier League club in 2022, and he has thrived during his three years in the top-flight

Erik ten Hag sold a former Manchester United academy graduate during his first transfer window as manager (Image: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Former Manchester United star Andreas Pereira has flourished since leaving Old Trafford for Fulham in 2022.

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The Brazilian midfielder spent 11 years at the club, rising through the ranks before making his debut at 18. Pereira made 75 appearances for United’s first team, mainly under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, before being sent out on loan.

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Pereira spent time at Lazio and subsequently earned praise for his performances at Flamengo, but it was not enough to prevent him from being sold by Erik ten Hag. Pereira signed for newly promoted Fulham and the United academy graduate has since thrived at Craven Cottage.

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Sky Sports reported that Fulham signed Pereira for an initial £8million with a further £2m in add-ons. While the exact add-on clauses are unknown, he has proven to be a shrewd investment by manager Marco Silva.

Transfermarkt values Pereira at around £16m (€18m), double the price that Fulham initially paid. That is despite his recent fall in price as he enters the last year of his contract, though Fulham are claimed to have the option of a one-year extension.

Pereira avoided speaking to incoming United boss Ten Hag in 2022, with whom he had a past connection, as he was eager to leave the club. However, the manager believed both parties had made the right decision when discussing the midfielder months after his exit.

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Andreas Pereira spent the last two years of his United career out on loan (Image: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

''Andreas Pereira is a really good player,'' Ten Hag said ahead of facing Pereira’s Fulham in March 2023. ''I [have] known him already a long time, I had him in the youth team at PSV, before he transferred to Manchester United.

''I am really happy for him and that he is progressing that well. I think it was the right step for him as I think he has to play on a regular basis.''

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Pereira is far from the first United graduate to establish themselves in the top-flight after leaving the club. In recent seasons, Anthony Elanga and Dean Henderson have starred for Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace, respectively.

Meanwhile, Scott McTominay has proven to be a revelation at title-winning Napoli and former prospect Alvaro Carreras signed for Real Madrid this summer, a year after being sold to Benfica. Fulham star Pereira previously admitted that the feeling of being overlooked gave him the determination to succeed at his new club, and he had no regrets about leaving United.

Pereira has made 119 appearances during his three years at Fulham (Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)

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"I think it was the best decision I made in my life," Pereira told The Standard. "To come to live and play here, to enjoy my football, to get back into the national team with great players, to enjoy my football in the Premier League, leaving is the best decision I made.

"The time I was there, I really enjoyed being at a fantastic club. But I don't regret leaving. We [the players in my situation] have this desire to show it was wrong that we didn't play."

As part of Pereira’s move to Fulham, United retained a 20 per cent sell-on fee, but the club have so far been unable to benefit from the contract clause. Pereira is grateful to Fulham boss Marco Silva for helping him get his career back on track, which included a recall to the Brazil squad last year.

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“He is responsible for everything that is happening in the club,” Pereira added. “He is responsible for me coming to Fulham. I will always be grateful for everything he has done for me.

“I have to show the trust he has in me by keeping doing what I am doing. He’s been, for sure, the most important piece of our team.”

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