Manchester United will reportedly recall goalkeeper Joel Pereira from his spell at Hearts after the Scottish Premiership season was cancelled on Monday. The Scottish club were relegated from the top flight league in the country, although they will mount a legal challenge regarding the details of the relegation with only 29 matches played this season.
It was not the best season for the Portuguese goalkeeper, ending in relegation but his performances for the club did not exactly show Ole Gunnar Solskjaer that he double be a contender for the number one shirt at the club in the near future. It is not the first time that the player has been loaned out with it ending badly for the player.
It was not all that long ago that Pereira has been tipped as a future number one for the Old Trafford club, but now all hopes of that seem to have failed. Dean Henderson, who has performed well during each of his five seasons on loan with clubs ranging from the National League to the Premier League, rising a division each season.
Pereira, 23, made a total of 25 appearances for Hearts this season, playing 2,280 minutes of football. He managed just five clean sheets and conceded a total of 43 goals. The player was expected to return to United this summer with a decision to be made on his future. His contract at United expires next summer so United might try and get some money for him.
With David De Gea, Sergio Romero, Lee Grant, Dean Henderson and Nathan Bishop all at the Old Trafford club, Pereira seems to have a fight ahead of him if becoming a first team regular for United is something he wants to do. However, Henderson, who was once behind him in the pecking order, will a long way ahead of him now.
Former United manager Jose Mourinho had high hopes for Pereira, who is a talented goalkeeper. However, he has had five loan spells away from United since the 2015/16 season, spending time at Rochdale, Belenenses, Vitória de Setúbal, Kortrijk and now Hearts – all seemingly failed with some ended early because of a lack of first team action.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer may have already decided what to do with the goalkeeper, however, United will face a tough task to earn any money from his transfer, which this summer the last chance to sell the player before the expiry of his contract next summer. It could be that United loan him out again, running down his contract at the club.
It has already been reported that United may have doubts about De Gea this summer with reports suggesting the club would make a decision on the player, as to whether he will be sold or not. His form has been questionable, which should have given other goalkeepers at the club, including Pereira, to make themselves noticed.
Romero has risen his performances, making 14 appearances for United so far this season, conceding just three goals and keeping 11 clean sheets. Henderson is the standout player though, making 30 appearances for Sheffield United in the Premier League so far this season, keeping 11 clean sheets and conceding 24 goals.
