Pereira joined Fulham after spending more than a decade at United, with the midfielder so desperate to leave the club permanently after a string of loan moves that he did not even speak to manager Erik ten Hag after he took over that summer.
Reflecting on his departure in an interview with ESPN last year, Pereira revealed he refused to speak with Ten Hag about his future because he was concerned the Dutchman would persuade him to stay, having previously worked with him during his time in PSV Eindhoven’s youth setup.
“I didn’t speak with Ten Hag,” he said. “I know him because I worked with him at PSV but I was determined in my head and maybe if I spoke with the manager again I would stay. In my head I was thinking ‘I need to go, I need to feel confident and play’ and that’s what I did.
“At United I had a lot of memories; good memories, bad memories. It’s been 10 years at the club. I arrived when I was 16 so, you know, a young boy. It was an amazing ride but I got to the stage where I thought maybe it was best not to stay.
“I wanted to feel more loved and I wanted to play every game. What Fulham offered me and what [manager] Marco [Silva] offered me, it was the perfect opportunity.” Ultimately, Pereira joined Fulham less than a month after Ten Hag officially took charge at Old Trafford and he has not looked back.
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