Fulham star Andreas Pereira has confirmed that he recently turned down a move to Saudi Arabia.
That was revealed in a very long interview he gave to Globo Esporte in Brazil. There he talked about how much he’s enjoyed his time with the Whites, and his wish to stay at the club for longer.
First of all, Pereira was asked how he managed to settle at Fulham after repeated loans away from Manchester United. At that point, he gave Marco Silva some credit.
“Fulham gave me the platform to show my quality in the Premier League and to the world. From the start, my relationship with the team, the fans and, above all, the coach Marco Silva, helped me a lot. He believed in me, opened the door for me to return to England and allowed me to show everyone that I can play at the highest level and make a difference. It means a lot to me. It was also a confirmation for me.”
Pereira was then asked to talk more about Silva, as the support from the manager has been a topic since Fulham were in talks to sign him, and the midfielder only praised his boss.
“We spoke clearly from the start and he said he believed in my style of play and my qualities. That I had to prove it in the Premier League, consolidate myself and make a difference and show that I have the ability to play every game. He knows how to move players around, he gave the example of Richarlison. He’s a coach who knows that for a Brazilian it’s a dream to play for the national team, and that’s my biggest goal. He said that it can’t just be a dream, that I have to fight for it, and I agreed with him from the first conversation.
“I’m playing in a more attacking position than I used to. I used to play as a second centre-half, but here I’m a midfielder, a 9.5 behind the striker. I had to adapt for the first two or three months, but Marco Silva made the job very easy by telling me what to do in games.”
Then Globo Esporte mentions that he had an offer to leave for Steven Gerrard’s Al-Etifaq at the start of January. Pereira explained why he’s not interested in leaving the Premier League right now.
“I don’t think it’s the right time to make a move out of Europe. I have a dream of playing for the national team, and the chance of being called up is much greater playing in Europe, playing in the Premier League, which is one of the toughest leagues in the world. Even though it’s not a certainty, I’ve been playing football since I was a kid with the national team in mind. Whether you like it or not, what makes you happy is fighting for your dream. I’m living in a moment where I’m playing well here and I’m keeping that dream alive. I’m fighting for it.”
Pereira has a contract with Fulham running until 2026, with an option for an extra year. Since arriving at the club in 2022, he’s made 70 appearances, with six goals and 13 assists.
