Pereira hopes to make an impact at United in 18/19
Andreas Pereira hopes to impress Jose Mourinho this summer and make an impact at Manchester United in 2018/19, following a couple of educational loans in La Liga with Granada and Valencia.
“It was a very important year for me at Valencia and I learned a lot,” Pereira told us in an exclusive interview at the UCLA training facility in LA. “I had a lot of experiences out there and I am very happy to be back. I am ready to play.
“Yes this pre-season is very important for the team," he continued. "We have to prepare very well for what is coming up next and I am doing my best to get minutes, and to show that I am ready.”
'How I'm learning the no.6 role'
Andreas Pereira is "learning something new every day", with the help of Jose Mourinho and Michael Carrick...
Pereira rose through the ranks of the United youth system as a livewire forward, but his future looks set to be in central midfield as a creative ball-player following a conversation with Mourinho.
As Andreas told us in America, he is learning every day from the manager and the club’s new first-team coach Michael Carrick.
“The manager asked me what position I will play and I said I will play any position he would like,” the 22-year-old explained. “Now I am in this position as a number six. I will try to do my best and of course everyone is helping me a lot, including the manager, by telling me what to do.
“Carrick is also helping me in every training session and it is very important. It is not only them, but all of the other coaches as well. They're helping me a lot and I am learning new things every day.
“Michael was one of the best [central midfielders] in the world and one of the best that Manchester United ever had. He gives me tips, he tells me in training what to do and it is very easy when he tells you. You pick it up straight away and it is very easy to learn from him.”
'This is a big season for Andreas'
Denis Irwin feels Pereira can follow Jesse Lingard by breaking into the first team after several loan spells...
ANALYSIS OF PEREIRA’S BIG SEASON
United legend Denis Irwin speaking on MUTV…
“There is nobody better to learn from. Michael had an absolutely fantastic career playing for Manchester United, and obviously West Ham and Spurs before that. I am delighted that he is still with us on the first-team coaching staff. I think he will be a brilliant coach. He has got a great temperament. For somebody like Andreas to be coached by Michael Carrick can only be good.
“We have seen Jesse Lingard go out on loan to a number of clubs and his development was slow, because of his physical development and stature, which stopped him from playing for Manchester United sooner. But we saw the benefits of that eventually.
“Andreas went out to Granada and then Valencia, who finished in the top four last season and I think he played 22 games for them, which is great because it is a really tough league over there. He played at a really good level and I'm sure he will be given an opportunity on this pre-season to show the manager what he can do.
"He has said will play in any position and you would say that, because you don't want to pigeonhole yourself into one position. But he is very confident on the ball, he gets around well and he can score the odd goal. This is a very important pre-season for him.”
Subscribe to MUTV to watch United's Tour 2018 training sessions and matches, via MUTV.com.