Alex Telles says he sought a loan move to Sevilla from Manchester United so he could have a better shot at securing his place in the Brazil squad for this winter’s World Cup in Qatar.
The left-back has been included in Tite’s plans throughout 2022 but is not a regular starter, sitting behind Alex Sandro of Juventus and Guilherme Arana, who plays in the country’s domestic league.
The arrival of Tyrell Malacia at United this summer painted an ominous picture for Telles, who was already below Luke Shaw in the left-back pecking order. Erik ten Hag even played the 29-year-old at centre-half where he struggled to find his feet.
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Subsequently, Telles decided to secure a loan move elsewhere with two years still left on his United contract. Sevilla are in a rut of form currently, claiming just one point in their first four La Liga outings before being thumped 4-0 by Manchester City on home soil in Tuesday’s Champions League group stage opener.
After the match — in which Telles was used as a winger — he detailed why he decided to leave Old Trafford this summer. When asked by TNT Sports if it was to do with his World Cup hopes, he replied: “Obviously. If I say no, I’ll be lying.
“I really believe in preparation. I know I’m on the radar, I know I was called for the last call-ups. So obviously having more and more minutes, playing as much as possible.
“So I’m exclusively focused on that preparation. I know it depends a lot on what I do at my club for me to be willing and always at a high level, so if I get called up for the national team, to be prepared.”
Telles believes he wouldn’t have been able to push for his World Cup goal if had stayed at United, even with a new manager at the helm. “No, I felt it, I felt it anyway,” he added.
“Very high level, as is the Premier League. Here in La Liga is also a very high level, it’s a club that is in the Champions League. So obviously it was a way of thinking also strategically about football, in a characteristic of mine.
“As I told you, it’s preparation. Having minutes, having games and I think that here I have a lot to grow and evolve. And so be prepared that if I get called up to the national team, give my best.”
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