West Brom have reportedly agreed a deal with Saudi Arabia side Al Hilal for the signing of Matheus Pereira.
According to the Athletic, the Brazilian attacker will earn £4m-a-year with the Middle Eastern club. As per the report, the final fee for the West Brom forward is ‘way below’ the club’s asking price of £25m.
Pereira publicly stated his intention to leave West Brom this summer in a post on his official Twitter account.
The playmaker’s departure from the Hawthorns seemed almost inevitable following the Baggies’ relegation from the Premier League.
However, it was expected that the 25-year-old would stay in England or Europe. West Ham, Leeds and Bundesliga sides were reportedly interested in Pereira.
History tells that Pereira move to Al Hilal is more than about money
Indeed, it is hard not to think that this move to Al Hilal for Pereira is driven by the finances on offer.
After all, the Brazilian mentioned in his social media post that he had received a ‘life-changing offer’ this summer. This seemingly could be what Al Hilal have submitted.
However, a move to countries where the football quality is below that of Europe’s yet where the wages are astronomical is nothing new for South American players.
After all, former Chelsea star Oscar has publicly admitted that he accepted a move to China so his family would be well-off financially for generations to come.
When it comes to ensuring financial security, this move makes sense for Pereira and his family in the long term. But there is no doubt that the Brazilian will be missed in England as well as Europe as a whole.
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