Mourinho questions Pereira’s decision to leave Manchester United

 

Jose Mourinho has expressed his disappointment at Andreas Pereira’s decision to join Valencia on a season-long loan deal and questioned his character.

 

The United manager planned for Pereira to compete with the United first-team this season after the youngster spent last season on loan with Spanish side Granada.

 

However, Pereira completed a surprise loan move back to Spain on deadline day and joined Valencia, leaving Mourinho with a bitter taste.

 

“It was a personal decision that I don’t agree with, a decision I don’t think honestly is the best decision for him, a decision that disappoints me,” ESPN quote Mourinho as saying in his pre-match press conference on Friday.

 

“He has the potential to be fighting for a position, opportunities and to be a Manchester United player. His decision can be considered a young player who wants to play every weekend but also a young player that is not ready to fight for something difficult and it’s difficult to play in Manchester United’s midfield.

 

“You have to be ready to fight for the position and I am disappointed he left. But was his decision, I opened the door, he has a long-term contract, we have the option to bring him back on Jan 1, so is not a drama but is a decision which disappoints me a little bit.”

 

 

Pereira featured heavily for United in pre-season but Nemanja Matic’s late arrival in the summer has made an already competitive midfield even harder to break into.

 

Ander Herrera and Michael Carrick haven’t even started for United this season and Pereira will instead pick up where he left off in Spain last term.

 

Of the 74 players to scored at least five goals in La Liga last season, Pereira had the worst conversion rate (6.8%).