Why new West Brom signing opted to stay with club after international allegiance change
It has been a difficult start to his career at The Hawthorns for Albion’s 10th and final new signing of the summer.
New recruit Brayann Pereira has turned down the chance of a first international cap to bring himself up to speed at Albion.
The 23-year-old was a £1million Baggies recruit from NEC Nijmegen, of the Dutch Eredivisie, on transfer deadline day at the beginning of this month.
Pereira was signed to add competition to French compatriot Nolan Galves, another summer addition, in the right-back department in James Morrison’s squad.
The defender endured a nightmare start to his Albion career. His debut lasted just 34 minutes having been selected to start at Derby County on September 9, before a dismissal for two yellow cards after barely half an hour on the night the visitors claimed a famous win.
Since checking into The Hawthorns, Pereira received an international call from Republic of the Congo.
The right-back qualifies for the west African nation from his heritage, having represented the country of his birth France at youth level.
Pereira was included in manager Claude le Roy’s 27-man squad for qualifying fixtures for the 2027 African Nations Cup.
But the Albion man will not be involved in qualifiers away to Namibia on Thursday and at home to Cameroon next Tuesday after it was decided he would remain with his club during the break.
The aim is for Pereira to continue to step up his fitness levels and acclimatisation at Albion during the break.
Boss Morrison handed his remaining squad not on international duty, including Pereira, the first week of the three-week break off for recovery, with players back in next week.
Pereira will use the extended training time to prioritise building up fitness in a bid to kickstart with his new club.
He remained an unused substitute upon returning after his one-match ban in last weekend’s derby defeat to Wolves, with Callum Styles out of position at right-back with Galves sidelined with a knee injury.
But it is expected Pereira, a former France under-20 international, will be handed an opportunity at right-back.
The Baggies man had a full pre-season with Nijmegen and played three Eredivisie and four Champions League fixtures with his former club in August before moving, though Morrison acknowledged the Dutch side had a different style of defending to Albion.
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