Until last month it was fair to bracket Andreas Pereira with the six out-of-contract Manchester United players certain to leave.
In February, United agreed an £8.5million fee with Flamengo, where Pereira has been on loan since August. But then it emerged in April the United football director John Murtough had informed Pereira he could be included in Erik ten Hag's squad next season.
By the time the 2022-23 campaign begins, Pereira will not have played for United for two years. He is out of contract next year, although the club has the option of a one-year extension.
READ MORE: Henderson closing in on move to Newcastle
Pereira, 26, was excelling for Flamengo but his mistake in the Copa Libertadores final defeat to fellow Brazilian side Palmeiras has altered the perception of the playmaker among the club's supporters.
Flamengo's finances are also unstable. Brazilian sources say the club were denied television revenue last month amid negotiations with the Brazilian government over loans that have underpinned their recruitment of European-based players.
Marcos Braz, the Flamengo sporting director, stressed last month the club was in no hurry to make Pereira's move permanent: "We have a contract with him until July 30, so we need to be calm. It's not like it's tomorrow."
United are still prepared to cash in on Pereira for £8.5m and his playing prospects at his parent club are remote, despite the imminent departures of Nemanja Matic, Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard, Juan Mata and Edinson Cavani.
If Pereira were to return to United in August, he would have missed the entirety of their pre-season schedule in Thailand and Australia, with another friendly in Oslo expected to be announced. The Premier League season starts on August 6.
United intend to sign a midfielder and a forward, with consultant Ralf Rangnick insistent on two striker signings. Pereira favours a playmaker role but he has started once for United since Bruno Fernandes arrived from Sporting Lisbon in January 2020.
Pereira spent successive seasons on loan at Granada and Valencia in Spain under Jose Mourinho before he was loaned out to Lazio in 2020-21.
Ten Hag was the assistant manager at PSV Eindhoven when Pereira agreed to join United in November 2011 at the age of 15. Pereira officially joined United on his 16th birthday on January 1 2012.
