Joel Pereira’s adventure as a Manchester United player officially came to an end this week.
The goalkeeper’s contract expired at midnight on June 30 and he is now a free agent.
For Pereira, this was an inevitability, after falling down the pecking order among United’s back-ups.
He sent out a message on social media thanking everybody connected with his United career, after nine years at Old Trafford in total.
Time to move on
Pereira was once highly touted by Jose Mourinho. The former United boss told The MEN in 2017: “We have a third goalkeeper that I think will be the best Portuguese goalkeeper of the next generation.”
Sadly it did not work out like that for Pereira. He spent last season on loan at Huddersfield Town where he was a back-up, playing only two matches and conceding 11 goals.
This was one of five loan spells for Pereira, following stints at Rochdale, in Portugal with Vitoria, and Belgium with Kortrijk, and in Scotland with Hearts.
Somewhere along the line it seemed like Pereira lost a bit of confidence, and instead of developing into David de Gea’s successor, he has flatlined while Dean Henderson has overtaken him.
Now 25, Pereira’s United departure is overdue. He has lost a lot of momentum and his next move will be interesting. A bit of stability will help him, he just needs to find a coach who believes in him and who will back him when it gets tough.
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