After a sensational season in the Championship, Matheus Pereira and West Brom are returning to the Premier League next season.
The Baggies were evenly matched with Leeds United at the top of the standings prior to the restart, but their dismal run of three wins in the final nine games meant that Elland Road was the destination of this year’s crown.
Nonetheless, it was a fantastic campaign for West Brom as they joined Marcelo Bielsa’s men as the two automatically promoted sides.
Central to that was Matheus Pereira who will be needed to deliver once again if his side to have a memorable season this time out.
Early days
Pereira came through the ranks from the Sporting academy which he joined in his teenage years. His youth career was decent to say the least as he ended with 17 goals in 42 appearances.
After his promotion to the first team, he found opportunities hard to come by and constantly went out on loan in search of them.
First of which was to Portuguese side Chaves where he enjoyed a productive campaign. Unfortunately, his time there ended in anti-climatic fashion.
Next was a journey to F.C Nurnberg, who he could not help survive relegation in his debut season.
Life at the Hawthorns
After mixed loan spells at Chaves and Nurnberg, he moved to England in search of a new lease of life and has certainly found it. The Brazilian was originally on loan from Sporting Lisbon but is set to be permanently signed.
He was a constant source of goals last season as he was either creating or scoring them himself. His total of 24 direct goal involvements was the fourth highest in the entire division.
In terms of creativity, he was a standout performer in the league. His 16 assists and 20 big chances created were second to none. He also recorded 3.1 key passes per 90 minutes.
While he primarily plays as a right-winger, Pereira can also play on the left or as a traditional number 10. His set piece prowess is also a joy to behold in a team renowned for its menace from dead balls.
From the last two seasons, Wolves and Sheffield have shown how quickly adaptation to Premier League life could be for newly-promoted sides. If the Baggies are to come anywhere near that level, they will need Matheus Pereira to replicate his performances from the just concluded season in English football’s top-tier.
