Manchester United are looking forward to beefing up their midfield in January and are already having their eyes glued on a youngster in West Midlands.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has, reportedly, identified Brazilian midfielder Matheus Pereira, who is currently doing well at West Bromwich Albion on loan from Sporting Lisbon.
The report suggests a number of Premier League clubs have been impressed with Pereira’s early-season form, but it’s now emerging that West Brom are also gearing up for a permanent deal with the 23-year old.
He has scored three goals and registered a staggering nine assists so far to help his side to the Championship summit, and West Brom fans now want to see him ‘forever’. Pereira’s parent club is also already preparing for life without the midfielder.
His goals and assists this season show the improvement he has undergone under Slaven Bilic.
The winger hit the headlines in September when he celebrated a goal with a ‘cut-throat’ action during West Brom’s 2-0 victory over QPR.
He later apologized and said: “The gesture was meant only to signify ‘game over’ as my goal had given us a 2-0 lead and the opposition had lost a player to a red card.”
The celebration was seen as particularly insensitive due to the fact that Loftus Road has been renamed The Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium for this season, in recognition of the work done by the charity after it was set up following the fatal stabbing of 15-year-old schoolboy Prince in May 2006.
Meanwhile, West Bromwich Albion are also keen on signing a permanent deal with another midfielder from Premier League side West Ham United in Grady Diangana.
Diangana is set on staying with West Bromwich Albion, despite West Ham having the option to recall him in January.
The 21-year-old has been an integral part of Slaven Bilic’s side as they have raced to the top of the Championship.
An injury to Hammers forward Manuel Lanzini had raised the possibility of Manuel Pellegrini recalling Diangana, serving as a cruel reminder of the Harvey Barnes situation of last January.
But Pellegrini has hinted that he wants the youngster to stay with Albion’s promotion chasers and that feeling is mutual, according to Football Insider.