WhoScored Exclusive: Andreas Pereira on his strengths and settling at Fulham

Few can boast to having played in the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A and the Brasileirao. "I would say they are all very technical leagues. The Premier League is very tough. As everyone knows, it's the most intense. It's the most difficult league to play. I would say that's what makes the Premier League different from all the other leagues," Andreas Pereira exclusively told WhoScored.com on Tuesday morning. 

Andreas is relaxed as we meet him at Motspur Park as the Whites gear up to face his former employers at Old Trafford. Yet there is the focus in his eyes. The drive, perhaps, to prove Manchester United were wrong to sell him? Now halfway through his second season at Fulham, the 28-year-old Belgium-born attacker looks to have settled in a team following stints in Spain, Italy and Brazil preceding his return to England. 

"It's good to settle," Andreas says when asked of the importance of finding his feet for the west London side. "Like you said it's my second season. I'm here to prove to people that I can do my best here in the Premier League. It's going to be a harder year than last year and I'm just happy that I'm proving what I can do." It's fair to say he is very much doing the latter. 

Since putting pen to paper on a four-year deal back in 2022, Andreas has established himself as Fulham's creator-in-chief. Since their return to the Premier League almost two years' ago, Andreas ranks top for key passes (113) of all Fulham players, and 10th in England's top tier overall. Operating in the number 10 role in a 4-2-3-1 system under Marco Silva has certainly helped. 

Silva was appointed Fulham boss in 2021 as they stormed back to the Premier League in his debut season at the Craven Cottage helm. Indeed, he watched on as his Whites side fired in 106 league goals at a rate of 2.3 per game. The possibility of playing under the attack-minded 46-year-old helped convince Andreas to joins Silva's side. 

"I think the most important thing for me especially is the way he thinks about football," Andreas replied when asked of Silva's influence in luring him to move to the capital. "We match in that way so for me that that was the most important thing." What's key, too, is the players that operate in the system under Silva to allow Andreas to flourish in the final third. 

Any team operating with two deeper-lying midfielders needs at least one ball-winner to mop up in front of the defence and allow the attackers the chance to thrive. In Joao Palhinha, Fulham have one of, if not the, best, not just in England; but Europe as a whole. "He's a monster in defending," Andreas enthused when asked of the importance of a player of Palhinha's ilk shielding the backline. The 28-year-old has, after all, made at least 11 more tackles (105) than any other player in Europe's top five leagues this season. 

"I know he's always there. Even if I can risk a little bit more, he can always win the ball back straight away. I have a lot of confidence to play with him." And Palhinha isn't the only Fulham teammate that has helped Andreas quickly re-adjust to the rigours of English football. The 2022 summer window proved to be a busy one for Fulham, with Palhinha and Andreas two of seven permanent additions to the squad. 

Andreas wasn't the only Brazil international to join almost two years ago with compatriots Carlos Vinicius and, crucially, Willian making the move to Silva's side. The pair are key for Fulham, with the experienced Willian ranking second for key passes (82) of all players for the club since both joined. "He helps me a lot," Andreas enthused when asked how playing alongside the 34-year-old helped develop his game. "We speak on and off the pitch a lot. To have him by my side, it means a lot to me." 

Speaking of developing his game, Andreas has garnered statistically calculated WhoScored.com strengths of 'Taking set-pieces', 'Long shots', 'Direct free-kicks' and 'Key passes'. Does he believe these are a fair representation of his game? "Yeah I think it's a good representation of what I'm good at," he replies. All are perfect for a player who not only operates behind the striker, but is on set-piece duties too. This is another route to goal for Fulham, and a quality to Andrea's game that they seek to maximise in their pursuit of victory. 

Since the start of the 2022/23 Premier League season, Andreas ranks third for key passes from set-piece situations (60) behind fellow dead-ball specialists Kieran Trippier (101) and James Ward-Prowse (77). "I think it's very important," Andreas replies when asked of the importance of his dead-ball delivery. "We are a team that has very big players and can finish well, so it's very important to give opportunities for them to score." 

And is this quality to his game one that comes naturally, or has he worked hard on this particular skill over the years? "I think it's naturally. I always find it quite easy to help my players, especially from free-kicks and set-pieces," he adds. With the likes of Palhinha, Tosin Adarabioyo and Raul Jimenez, prior to injury, to name three towering teammates, it's not a surprise that Andreas doesn't find it difficult to create opportunities from set-pieces. 

It's not a shock either that Andreas featured in the WhoScored Premier League team of the week more than once this season. The standout display came in the 5-0 dismantling of Nottingham Forest back in December, where Andreas returned a WhoScored rating of 9.14. He followed that up with another fine showing as Fulham recorded back-to-back 5-0 victories, easing past West Ham to make successive best XIs. 

"It's always nice to have the recognition," Andreas said when quizzed on how big a confidence boost it is to feature in the WhoScored team of the weeks. "Getting in the team of the week, and it's such an important page. Hopefully I can be in many more until the end of the season." We'll see what we can do to make that a reality! 

And with the increase in publicly available statistical data on websites such as WhoScored.com, it can be commonplace for footballers to actively seek out their stats to ensure they are performing to the best of their ability to find areas they can improve upon. Is Andreas one of those? "I check when you tag me and then I see it!" *Hint taken*. "I keep on top of everything that I do and to get even better numbers and improve every day." 

Playing in a position under a manager who plays to his strengths, Andreas is blossoming in an exciting Fulham side that is excelling in their second season back in the Premier League.