Sir Alex Ferguson Convinced One Player to Snub Boyhood Club Arsenal for Manchester United
In his 27-year tenure as Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson established himself as one of the greatest managers in football history, leading the Red Devils to a plethora of trophies, including 13 Premier League titles and two Champions Leagues. During his time at Old Trafford, Ferguson had a reputation for attracting top talent from around the world, and one player who almost didn’t make the move was Brazilian midfielder Andreas Pereira.
Pereira was a huge Arsenal fan growing up and was close to joining the Gunners before Ferguson intervened. Speaking on the "The American Dream" podcast, Pereira revealed that he was set to sign for Arsenal but was convinced to join United by Ferguson himself.
A Chance Encounter
The Brazilian midfielder recalled a meeting with Ferguson that left him in shock. "I was speaking with my dad, and my head was on Arsenal, I wanted to go to Arsenal. I was a fan, and I liked the way they played football. It was at the time that Wilshere was getting his first games, and I got a shirt from Wilshere, and I loved this shirt," Pereira said.
But Ferguson’s interest in Pereira changed everything. "It came out that United were interested, and I was always a fan of Cristiano Ronaldo, and my dad said, ‘Ok, let’s go and see how it is over there.’ In my head, I was going to visit, and my head was in Arsenal, but Sir Alex Ferguson came and said it was nice to meet me, and I was in shock," Pereira revealed.
A Family Connection
Pereira’s father, who was a huge influence on his footballing career, played a key role in his decision-making process. "But it wasn’t just me; it was my father, I never see him in shock with anyone, and he didn’t know what to do or say hi," Pereira said.
Ferguson’s words of encouragement resonated with Pereira, who felt a strong connection to the Scottish manager. "He said to me, ‘I always have a place for a Brazilian in my team, I saw you in the Nike Cup.’ And when he said that, I was like, ‘I’m staying here, I don’t care about Arsenal, I love Ronaldo, I love Rooney, I love everyone.’"
A Future at United
Pereira eventually made his first-team debut for United in 2014 under Louis van Gaal. After making 75 appearances for the Red Devils, he was sold to Fulham in a deal worth a reported £10 million plus performance-related add-ons.
Since joining Fulham, Pereira has established himself as a regular starter, making 85 appearances and scoring five goals. Despite initially being close to joining Arsenal, Pereira’s decision to join Manchester United has proven to be a successful one.
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