Andreas cites strong Palmeiras interest as key factor in deal | OneFootball

Officially presented this Thursday at the Football Academy, Andreas Pereira celebrated the opportunity to play for Palmeiras. With a contract valid until December 2028, the midfielder revealed that the strong pursuit by president Leila Pereira and director Anderson Barros to sign him was the main factor for his return to Brazil.

“It was interesting, there was contact in January, unfortunately it didn’t go through, but I managed to finish the season without thinking about leaving. When it ended, I went to the National Team and, obviously, you have those conversations with your family, but I wasn’t thinking about returning to Brazil, until this contact came again and we were very grateful for the effort that president Leila and Anderson Barros made for me. It was a huge effort, and the affection from the fans also made things happen very quickly. That feeling was the most important thing for me,” he said.

Palmeiras’ Wish

The player had been a longtime dream of Verdão’s board, who had been making contact with the midfielder since the final stretch of 2024. At the beginning of the season, Palmeiras went through a saga in the negotiation, as they ran into Fulham’s refusal of a 20 million euro offer (about R$ 127 million). In addition, Andreas revealed that he was approached by other European clubs, including teams from the Premier League and Champions League, before deciding on Verdão.

“In fact, I had talks with other Premier League clubs, but when Palmeiras showed interest and I spoke with Anderson Barros and my agent, we realized that the best thing was to come to Palmeiras. Yes, there were other clubs that play in the Champions League that wanted me, but what I wanted was Palmeiras,” he stated.

Richard Ríos’ Replacement

The deal, now finalized, was around 10 million euros (about R$ 63 million). Andreas Pereira arrives at Palmeiras to strengthen the midfield after the departure of Richard Ríos, who was sold to Benfica, and will even inherit the number 8 jersey. He will compete for a spot with Lucas Evangelista, who has been starting either alongside Aníbal Moreno or Emiliano Martínez.

“It was also difficult negotiating with Fulham. I believe in God and I believe the right moment was now. Everyone here at Palmeiras wanted me so much, I really felt that it’s a club that truly wants me, so that was very important for me,” he concluded.

Past at Flamengo

His first stint in Brazilian football was on loan to Flamengo in August 2021. At the Rubro-Negro, he played 53 matches, scoring eight goals and providing three assists. However, the midfielder became known for the slip that resulted in Palmeiras’ winning goal in the 2021 Copa Libertadores final. In July of the following year, Andreas returned to Manchester United.

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