West Ham United manager David Moyes hopes to sign £30 million-rated Matheus Pereira on an initial loan deal although West Brom may take some convincing, as reported by The Sun (5 August, page 56).
With their star player left out of pre-season plans while shouting his frustration from the social media rooftops, you’d think West Bromwich Albion would be desperate to cash in on Pereira before the window slams shut.
But the Baggies are standing firm, proving ‘player power’ doesn’t always rule the roost.
According to The Athletic, West Brom are refusing to budge on their £30 million valuation of a man who produced 11 goals and six assists during last season’s relegation campaign – more than Jesse Lingard has managed in a single top-flight campaign.
Pereira has another three years left on his contract and it’s understood West Brom would rather leave Pereira out in the cold than accept a low-ball bid in the final few weeks of the transfer window.
Could Matheus Pereira still join West Ham?
Sources believe West Ham remains the most likely destination for Pereira should he return to the Premier League, with Leeds United, Leicester City and Aston Villa now looking elsewhere.
Moyes would certainly be keen to work with the former Sporting Lisbon prospect at the London Stadium.
But with West Ham reluctant to pay the £30 million West Brom want, Moyes hopes to strike an initial loan-to-buy deal, similar to the one that saw Said Benrahma arrive from Brentford in October 2020.
Don’t bet against West Ham stepping up their interest either as a revitalised Lingard looks to make up for lost time at Manchester United and force his way back into Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s plans.
With United becoming overreliant on an exhausted Bruno Fernandes, Lingard could yet have a big part to play at Old Trafford.
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