Manchester United's starlet Andreas Pereira has revealed that Jose Mourinho wanted him to join Fulham before he signed for La Liga club Granada.
The 21-year-old was sanctioned for a loan move after he hardly featured under previous boss Louis van Gaal, but the move to Fulham fell through and he ended up in Spain.
He's scored four goals in 25 La Liga appearances and has been enjoying his time, despite Mourinho's wishes for him to spend time at Craven Cottage.
Speaking to the Guardian , Pereira said: "I spoke to Mourinho about it.
"I was honest with him and he was honest with me. I like this about him.
"He said: ‘If you stay, you’ll get a game, you’ll play in the cup’, but that’s not what I needed and he thought that as well, so it was better to go on loan.
"I told him I would go anywhere he thought fit. He would like me to go to Fulham but it didn’t go through and then I had this option.
"Spain is my kind of football, I was happy Granada were interested.
"The manager said: ‘Look, if you go there and play all season, that’s very important’.
"I wanted to feel what it is to play a whole season, have it in my legs, then come back.
"I didn’t want it to be: ‘You’re a young player going through the youth team’; I didn’t want that excuse.
"Now I’ve played 30 games, I have experience I can use in Manchester. When you’re young on the bench you can’t show yourself really. Here, I’m showing I am a good player, ready to play."
