The Brazilian joined United’s academy in 2011 after being spotted playing in a youth tournament for PSV Eindhoven. At the time, the midfielder was being chased by several teams, with United the first to make an official move.

He was invited to the club’s Carrington training ground, where he had an unexpected meeting with legendary boss Ferguson. “They sent a scout and said, ‘We’re interested’ and at the time I had a lot of interest from other clubs.

But I had always supported United so I was like ‘I want to go to United. It was fast,” Pereira said on Rio Ferdinand’s FIVE podcast.

“When I went to the training ground, they didn’t even say you are going to meet Fergie or anyone. I remember walking in Carrington, and I was like ‘I want to come’.

It was an amazing complex. “Then I was told, ‘someone wants to meet you’ and it was Fergie.

I just remember him standing in front and I could not believe it. My dad did not know what to do.

First, he said something and I did not understand it because his English is different. “And then after that, he said, ‘There is always room for a Brazilian on my team’.

“It’s been a long journey. Talent-wise and skills always came easy for me.

To be hard working I always remember Warren Joyce in the reserves getting on my case. I had to run and tackle and smash people and I was like, ‘What is this’,” he added.

“So at 16 years old, I was like just playing with the ball, doing skills and whatever. Then at United, you have to smash people.

“I called my Dad and said ‘I think I’ve made a mistake’. I spoke with Warren Joyce and he said, ‘You have to practice every day’.

“I’ll never forget my first session with the first team, Anderson came to me and said, ‘They’re going to kick you, but don’t say nothing, stand up and try to kick them back’. First tackle, Scholesy smashed me.

I didn’t say anything, just stood up. “After Covid, I wanted to play.

The president of Flamengo called and said, ‘If you want to come you can come.'”