The ‘Terrace Talk’ series from Football League World features the perspectives of our FLW Fan Pundits on a variety of topics, including teams, players, managers, potential signings, and breaking news.
Matheus Pereira had two tremendous seasons for West Bromwich Albion, but fans were hoping for more.
In a surprising departure from Sporting CP, Pereira first joined the Hawthorns in the summer of 2019 on a season-long loan. The Brazilian had spent the previous term on loan in the Bundesliga with FC Nurnberg, and it was no great surprise when he blew the Championship away.
No player in the division has assisted on more goals than Pereira, who netted eight goals himself, disheveled 16 assists, and helped the Baggies win promotion to the Premier League the second time around before joining on a permanent basis for £9 million.
West Brom were swiftly demoted from the Premier League, but Pereira showed his mettle at the top level by scoring eleven goals, which earned him a summer transfer to Al Hilal of the Saudi Pro League.
Both player and club may now look back with regret at Pereira’s move to the Middle East, which probably guaranteed generational wealth while offering fewer footballing incentives. After his time in Saudi Arabia did not go as planned, the playmaker and Cruzeiro returned to Brazil in the previous year.
However, supporters also regret not being able to see more of Pereira – his first season with the club was disrupted by the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, which saw fans unable to fully attend matches for the rest of the following season.
West Bromwich Albion’s Matheus Pereira regret
When we asked Callum Burgess, our Baggies fan commentator, to select a player he wished he had seen more of at the team, he opted to go with Pereira.
“The most recent case would’ve been in the season where Albion last won promotion from the Premier League – and that would’ve been Matheus Pereira,” Callum told Football League World.
“After joining in that season from Sporting Lisbon, initially on loan, he absolutely lit up the Championship, getting more than 20 goals and assists combined and [providing] multiple moments of brilliance and match-winning performances.
“Of course, Albion was able to purchase Pereira, but the second Premier League season was obviously played under lockdown, so we only really had those 30 opening games when COVID interrupted the season in which he was with us.
“With the exception of one match against West Ham United, where fans were allowed in gradually, we missed the entire Premier League season. It would have been nice to have someone with Pereira’s talent and brilliance before he moved to Saudi Arabia and then to Brazil, after being lured by the financial offer from Al-Hilal.
“It’s unfortunate that we didn’t get to see more of Pereira before he departed; there’s no denying that he is an incredibly brilliant player. He’s among Albion’s greatest players ever.”
Matheus Pereira has not yet been replaced by West Bromwich Albion.
Not unexpectedly, once Pereira left in August 2021, Albion has not even gone close to replacing him.
At the Championship and Premier League levels, Pereira was a class act. West Brom would be well served to sign anyone in the upcoming seasons who is capable of making an effect akin to the Brazilian maverick, who was a class above the second division and left a lasting impression in the top flight.
Of course, that will be a difficult task to fulfill. Pereira was much above West Brom’s level even when they were in the Premier League, and the prospects of a Championship club getting a player of that ability are improbable.
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