Almost two-and-a-half weeks after announcing that a deal had been agreed, Manchester United have finally announced the transfer of Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Fred, for a fee believed to be around £50m. The Brazilian, who is currently in Russia on World Cup duty with his national side, has been a target for the club for several months, and after Manchester City failed in their pursuit of the player last January, United began talks with the Ukranian club and the player’s representatives four months ago. With a work permit and personal terms now all agreed, United have been able to complete and announce the singing on their official website.
United boss Jose Mouriho appears very satisfied with the capture: “Fred will complement our other midfielders’ qualities, which we need; his creative brain and passing vision will give us another dimension to our game. I am very happy he is joining our club and I believe our players know how important he can be in our team.”
The player himself seems particularly excited having finally completed the move, stating: “This is the biggest club in the world and I am delighted to be a part of this amazing team. To work with Jose Mourinho, who has won so many trophies in his time as a coach, is an opportunity not to be missed.”
The element of surprise has certainly been lost when it came to announcing this transfer, but it’s still great news that United have sealed Fred’s signature. The club requires more options in midfield, not just to lessen the workload on Nemanja Matic, but to attempt to get the best out of Paul Pogba on a regular basis. Fred’s ability to function as a box-to-box operator could be of great use to United this coming season as they hope to challenge City for the Premier League title.
