Not Pogba or Mata – Man Utd have struck gold with sell-on clause after transfer mistake exposed in Fulham win

Manchester United may reap the benefits of a large sell-on clause put into their agreement with Fulham for Andreas Pereira last summer. The Red Devils were left wondering if they made the correct decision in dumping the Brazilian playmaker during their dramatic FA Cup match last weekend, when the Brazilian was at the top of his game, giving United a slew of difficulties with his inventiveness and vision.

Since going to west London, the 27-year-old has been a brilliant purchase for Marco Silva and a frequent starter, providing a reminder of his quality.

At Manchester United, no matter how good Pereira performed, Bruno Fernandes was always expected to start ahead of him in the No.10 position.

Now that he has a clear future at Fulham, he appears to be twice the player United sold for £8 million plus £2 million in add-ons in July.

Fortunately for United, ESPN is reporting that Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain are interested in Pereira, and, strangely, the Red Devils were able to negotiate a 20% sell-on provision into the contract with Fulham last summer.

While United may have lived to regret selling Pereira on the cheap, they might now profit from an extra payday if Fulham decide to cash in on the attacking midfielder at the end of the season, assuming he is the subject of offers.

Pereira is also said to be of interest to Juventus, having previously played in Serie A with Lazio, where he spent the 2020/21 season on loan.

From a United standpoint, the 20% sell-on clause could prove to be a stroke of genius. It means that if Fulham sold the player for £35 million, the Red Devils would be entitled to £7 million.

Pereira said ahead of United’s match against Fulham that he had no discussions with United manager Erik ten Hag before the club chose to let him go after 11 years at Old Trafford.

Notwithstanding the reports, the Dutch strategist praised the creative playmaker when asked if United would live to regret selling him.

“Andreas Pereira is a fantastic player,” Ten Hag said. “I’ve known him for a long time; I had him in the PSV young team before he signed for Manchester United.”

“I’m incredibly delighted for him and that he’s doing so well. I believe it was the right decision for him because I believe he needs to play on a daily basis.”

Periera’s choice not to meet with Ten Hag after his appointment was deliberate, as he believed the United manager would try to persuade him to stay when the attacker sought a new challenge.

“I didn’t communicate with Ten Hag,” the Brazilian said, according to ESPN. “I know him because I worked with him at PSV but I was decided in my thoughts and maybe if I met with the manager again I would stay. I was thinking in my thoughts, ‘I need to go, I need to feel secure and play,’ and so I did.

“I had a lot of memories at United, both good and unpleasant. The club has been open for ten years. I arrived when I was 16, so I was still a young boy. That was an incredible experience, but I reached a point where I considered leaving.

“I wanted to feel more appreciated, therefore I played every game.” “What Fulham and [manager] Marco [Silva] offered me was the right opportunity.”

Pereira has three goals and six assists in 32 appearances this season for Fulham, who are ninth in the Premier League table despite back-to-back Premier League defeats to Brentford and Arsenal.