Louis van Gaal has a reputation for nurturing and promoting younger players.
Marcus Rashford, Timothy Fosu-Mensah and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson have all benefited from van Gaal’s faith in youth but there’s one youngster who is downhearted after being kept out of the first team over the past season.
Andreas Pereira was pegged for a bright future but he’s yet to kick on under van Gaal and, in fact, the Brazil U23 international has accused the Dutchman of leading him on by promising him playing time that never came to fruition.
“I wanted to be loaned out in January in order to play more and to keep developing myself, but van Gaal told me that he did not want me to be loaned out,” Pereira told Goal.
“He told me to stay in Manchester because he would use me and that I would play.
“I told him that was fine, and that if I could stay and play then I would. He did not let me leave. I took the decision and now I’m training, doing my job and waiting for him to fulfil his word.
“Of course I expected to play more. I think that I deserved the chance. I did well in the games that I had the opportunity to play, but football can be like that.
“My manager has not given me this opportunity yet and I will keep working hard, waiting for the chances. If they’ve not come this year, then maybe the next, but I’ll be ready. I’m very calm because everyone sees that I’m playing well and that I deserve my shot.”
