Who is Fred? Brazil World Cup ace represented by Gilberto Silva who joined Manchester United for £52m
Fred impressed in the Champions League with the Ukrainian side last season and looks sure to be a hit at Old Trafford
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MANCHESTER UNITED had a quiet summer transfer window by their usual standards.
But the Old Trafford faithful can still look forward to seeing £52million signing Fred, who made the big-money switch from Shakhtar Donetsk.
But who is he and why was Jose Mourinho so intent in landing the 25-year-old?
Our friends at are on hand with the answers.
Who is Fred?
SIGNED by Shakhtar in 2013 for £12m, Fred arrived from Internacional in Brazil where he was a two-time Campeonato Gaucho champion.
Since then, he has been a regular with the Moles, helping them claim two league titles, two domestic cups and three Super Cups, as well as playing in both the Champions League and the Europa League.
When veteran defensive midfielder Luis Gustavo was ruled out of the 2015 Copa America through injury, Fred was drafted into Brazil’s squad for the tournament, where he assisted the Selecao on their run to the quarter-finals.
But during the tournament Fred tested positive for diuretic Hydrochlorothiazide.
He was initially suspended for one year by South American federation Conmebol, with the punishment only relating to games on the continent.
However, last year Fifa decreed that Fred’s ban should be extended worldwide, keeping him on the sidelines for the second half of 2016/17.
Despite his suspension, interest in the young midfielder remained high, thanks to his talent, youth and apparent propensity for future development.
Stylistically, Fred has all the attributes desired in a modern central midfielder.
A gifted passer with both feet, he is capable of breaking the lines of the opposition either with incisive through-balls or powerful dribbles from deep.
The Brazilian is also diligent in carrying out his defensive duties, regularly seen running back towards his own goal to recover possession and sweeping up behind team-mates.
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But Fred’s standout quality is undoubtedly his dribbling ability. The midfielder has averaged an impressive 3.3 take-ons per 90 minutes in the Champions League this season, at a staggering success rate of 95 per cent.
And it’s not as though Shakhtar benefited from a favourable draw, coming up against both Napoli and Manchester City in the group stage. Indeed, Fred shone as Shakhtar handed City their first defeat of the season last December.
The main weakness in Fred’s game is his lack of aerial ability, which is wholly understandable given he is only 5ft 7ins tall.
But although he is not tall, Fred doesn't lack for physical strength, more than holding his own in one-v-one battles for the ball on the ground.
Fernandinho, another Brazilian international midfielder with a Shakhtar background, has been one of Man City’s most consistent and reliable performers at the Etihad, and Jose Mourinho may well have earmarked a similar role for Fred just down the road.
Who is Fred's agent?
THE BRAZILIAN is represented by former Arsenal double winner Gilberto Silva.
The former holding midfielder was previously technical director at Panathinaikos and now considers himself mentor to young Brazilians first, and agent second.
Talking to , he said: "Since I started working Fred he's been a big challenge for me as well, because it wasn't my job.
"I didn't work with this job before. But it's been nice because it's like being his mentor from the outside, not exactly the agent.
"I don't have the experience of some of the agents but I have some partners I work with. It's about mentoring him.
"It's about making an analysis and saying to him 'you remember this situation, maybe you can correct this'."