“A real shame” – Claim made on Matheus Pereira’s time at West Brom

“A real shame” – Claim made on Matheus Pereira’s time at West Brom.

Supporters of West Bromwich Albion were hoping for more from Matheus Pereira after his two incredible seasons.

In the summer of 2019, Pereira made a surprising left-field transfer to join Sporting CP on a season-long loan agreement at the Hawthorns. It came as no great surprise when the Brazilian destroyed the Championship because he had spent the previous season on loan at FC Nurnberg in the Bundesliga.

With an incredible 16 assists, eight goals of his own, and a helping hand to get the Baggies back into the Premier League at the second attempt before joining on a permanent basis for £9 million, Pereira set up more goals than any other player in the group.

West Brom were promptly relegated from the top-flight, although Pereira proved his class at the highest level by finding the back of the net on eleven occasions, earning a move to Saudi Pro League outfit Al Hilal that summer.

Players and clubs alike may now look back with regret at Ereira’s relocation to the Middle East, which probably guaranteed family wealth while affording fewer footballing incentives. After his stay in Saudi Arabia did not go as planned, the playmaker and Cruzeiro returned to Brazil in the previous year.

Supporters lament that they did not get to see more of Pereira, though, as the COVID-19 pandemic that broke out in March 2020 cut short his first season with the team and prevented spectators from attending games for the duration of the subsequent campaign.

West Bromwich Albion’s Matheus Pereira regret

When we asked Callum Burgess, a Baggies fan commentator, to select a player he wished he had seen more of at the team, he chose 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 stated to Football League World.

“He really lit up the Championship that season after signing from Sporting Lisbon, initially on loan. He scored and assisted on more than 20 goals in total, [giving] numerous moments of brilliance and game-winning performances.

“Albion had a tremendously gifted player on their hands.

“Of course, Albion was able to purchase Pereira, but in that second Premier League season, lockdown prevailed, so we were only allowed to play those thirty games in the beginning before COVID interrupted our season.

With the exception of one match against West Ham United, where fans were allowed in gradually, we missed the entire Premier League season. Nevertheless, it would have been nice to have someone with Pereira’s talent and brilliance before he moved to Saudi Arabia after being drawn to the money Al-Hilal offered him and then relocated to Brazil.

“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.”

West Bromwich Albion are yet to replace Matheus Pereira

Rather unsurprisingly, Albion have not come close to replacing Pereira since his departure in August 2021.

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 fulfil. Even in the Premier League, Pereira was far above West Brom’s calibre, and it is unlikely that a Championship team would sign a player of that calibre.

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