Sources believe West Ham United are the most likely destination for Matheus Pereira should the West Brom star seal a return to the Premier League before the end of August, as reported by The Athletic.
While statistics can be used to prove anything if you try hard enough, it feels appropriate to point out that, during 2020/21, Matheus Pereira scored more goals (11) and produced more assists (six) than Jesse Lingard has managed in a single top-flight campaign.
Of course, that might not have been the case had Lingard spent the whole of last season in claret and blue.
But, with West Ham now scouring the market for someone capable of taking Lingard’s place as the creative kingpin of David Moyes’ sweat-shedding midfield, Pereira not only passes the eye test, he also has the numbers to back up his suitability.
It took the Brazilian a while to get going but, once he adapted to life in the Premier League, he quickly blossomed into one of the division’s most watchable attackers.
His dazzling performance in the 5-2 thrashing of Chelsea at Stamford Bridge – Pereira scored two and assisted two more in west London – will live long in the memory of even the most long-toothed West Brom supporters.
It remains something of a surprise, then, that offers for Pereira have been in short supply in recent months.
Could Matheus Pereira still end up at West Ham United?
It’s understood Saudi outfit Al Hilal are the only club to have made a serious bid for the one-time Sporting Lisbon prospect, with The Athletic insisting Aston Villa and Leicester City – two clubs frequently linked with Pereira – have yet to pick up the phone to West Brom.
There’s a feeling in some quarters that West Ham remain Pereira’s most likely escape route, although it isn’t certain whether the London giants are willing to pay the minimum £25 million fee for a man who, for all his class, lacks consistency.
Pereira has been left out of Valerien Ismael’s pre-season plans at West Brom and hit out at accusations surrounding his professionalism in an explosive tweet yesterday.
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