Manchester United have announced Joel Pereira has completed a loan move to Portuguese side Vitoria Setubal.
Pereira made just one first-team appearance for Manchester United last season and has seen Lee Grant come in as the third goalkeeper.
As a result, Mourinho has given his blessing for the 22-year-old to leave temporarily and Pereira is eager to show Mourinho what he is capable of.
“I’ve been back at United for the last 18 months and the manager showed good faith in me, good trust,” he said.
“I can’t be thankful enough. He wants me to play and I think it’s the right thing for me too, so we’ll see in the next week where I will spend next season.
“But obviously what I want is to come back mentally stronger and with more experience, more games under my belt, and prove to the manager that the faith he’s put in me is right.”
Born in Le Locle, in the Swiss Canton of Neuchâtel, Pereira began his career in the youth ranks of local Neuchâtel Xanax before transferring to Manchester United in 2012.
He was part of the team that won the 2014–15 Under-21 Development League title, and extended his contract on 13 August 2015, amidst a goalkeeping saga at the club.
On 17 October 2015, he was loaned to Rochdale in Football League One for a month. Later that day, he had his first senior call-up, remaining an unused substitute as the team drew 0–0 away to Bury. On 10 November 2015, he made his debut in a 1–0 loss to Morecambe at Spotland, in the quarter-finals of the Football League Trophy.
Manager Keith Hill praised the goalkeeper’s performance after he was named man of the match and saved a penalty kick.On 19 November 2015, he extended his loan until 3 January 2016.Two days later, Pereira made his Football League debut, in a 2–0 away win against Doncaster Rovers.He totalled eight appearances for Rochdale, six in the league.
On 25 February 2016, he had his first call-up to a senior Manchester United game, sitting on the bench for their 5–1 home win over FC Midtjylland in the last 32 second leg of the UEFA Europa League.On 31 August 2016, he joined Primeira Liga club Belenenses on loan.His loan spell ended on 5 January 2017, due to Manchester United’s third-choice goalkeeper Sam Johnstone joining Aston Villa on loan. Pereira made his Manchester United debut on 29 January 2017, in an FA Cup fourth round tie against Wigan Athletic, coming on as an 80th-minute substitute for Sergio Romero.
On 21 May 2017, he started for the first time in the Premier League, against Crystal Palace at Old Trafford. On 1 July 2017, Pereira sign a four year deal to stay at Manchester United until 2021. On 20 September 2017, he appeared as a substitute against Burton Albion in the EFL Cup and conceded a last-minute goal.
On 2 August 2018 he joined Vitória de Setúbal on loan for the 2018/19 season
In July 2016, Pereira was selected in the Portugal squad for the 2016 Olympic Games. He was an unused substitute in all four of Portugal’s matches in the tournament. In May 2017, he was selected in the Portugal under-21 squad for the 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.