The Brazil international midfielder becomes the fourth most
expensive arrival ever at Old Trafford after five years at Shakhtar
Donetsk
Manchester United have completed the signing of Shakhtar
Donetsk midfielder Fred for a fee in the region of £52.5 million
($70m).
The Brazilian has signed a five-year deal which includes a club
option for a further 12 months upon its expiry.
The 25-year-old, who is United’s second signing of the summer
transfer window after Diogo Dalot, was a target of Manchester
City until the Premier League champions withdrew their interest in
January.
The eight-cap Brazil international, who is currently on World Cup
2018 duty, underwent a medical at United’s AON Training
Complex less than 24 hours after turning out for the Selecao in
their pre-tournament friendly win over Croatia at Anfield.
United manager Jose Mourinho told the club's official website of
Fred’s 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 midfielder himself added: “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.
”I cannot wait to get started and to meet my new team-mates. I
would like to thank everyone at Shakhtar Donetsk for everything
they have done for me over the past five years.
“This is a very exciting time for me with my focus now fully on the
World Cup with Brazil.”
United’s quest for trophies in 2017-18 was often compromised by
their lack of stability in midfield, with Ander Herrera, Marouane
Fellaini and Scott McTominay all finding it difficult to pin down a
regular starting shirt.
And Fred looks set to become Mourinho’s preferred option in
midfield once he joins up with the United squad after representing
his country at the World Cup in Russia.
Fred’s transfer fee makes him the fourth most expensive signing
in the history of the Old Trafford club, ranking behind only Angel
di Maria, Romelu Lukaku and Paul Pogba in United’s list of big-
money buys.
