Manchester United: Andreas Pereira optimistic over first-team opportunities during pre-season tour

Manchester United starlet Andreas Pereira is hoping for a chance to impress new manager Jose Mourinho on the club's pre-season campaign in China.

Pereira, 20, impressed during the club's tour of the United States last summer, scoring his first senior goal for the club against San Jose Earthquakes. The Brazil Under-20 international went onto make two full appearances for United in the first-half of the 2015-16 season and a handful of appearances off the bench, but saw his chances dry up under Louis van Gaal during the second half of the campaign.

The midfielder managed just 53 minutes of first-team action from January onwards, turning out more regularly for the Under-21s as his season ended in frustration.

Pereira is now hoping for a fresh opportunity to impress in the first-team and optimistic of getting the chance to do so in China.

"It was a very good first pre-season with the team for me. The weather was great in America and lent itself to some really good training sessions and the games were played at a high level," he told United's official website." I learnt a lot, but mostly that you have to represent your club always in the best way, both on and off the pitch, and that you must always be professional.

"The goal was really special, but for me just being with the team and seeing all our fans was great. I always look forward to coming back [after the summer break]. When you spend a long time away you want to get back to playing football in your stadium."

While Pereira was handed his first-team debut by Louis van Gaal, Pereira's relationship with Mourinho's predecessor ended on a sour note when he suggested the Dutchman had failed to fulfil promises made over chances in the first-team.

"He [van Gaal] told me to stay in Manchester because he would use me and that I would play," Pereira said. "I wanted to be loaned out in January in order to play more and to keep developing myself, but Van Gaal told me that he did not want me to be loaned out.

"I told him fine, and that if I could stay and play then I would. He did not let me leave. I took the decision and now I am training, doing my job and waiting for him to fulfil his word."