Fred has been one of the most improved players in the squad (Getty Images)
According to claims from Turkish outlet Fotomac (h/t Daily Express), Manchester United midfielder Fred has emerged as a transfer target for Turkish giants Galatasaray.
As per the report, the Super Lig club are on the lookout for new central midfielders after losing last season’s loanees Jean Michael Seri and Mario Lemina, with Fred currently on Galatasaray’s shortlist.
Born in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, Fred started his professional career with Internacional in his homeland before making his move to Europe with Ukrainian giants Shakhtar Donetsk back in 2013.
The central midfielder went on to spend five seasons at Shakhtar, registering 15 goals and 15 assists in 155 appearances across all competitions. The Brazilian international also proved his worth in the Champions League and Europa League over the course of his memorable stint in Ukraine.
Man United forked out a staggering £52m in the summer of 2018 to bring Fred to Old Trafford, but the midfielder struggled to live up to his massive price tag. A dismal debut season in English football saw him start just 13 Premier League games, thus raising serious doubts over his abilities.
However, the Brazilian maestro featured 48 times across all competitions last term, as United secured a third-place finish in the league and also reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup, League Cup, and the Europa League.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer managed to extract the best out of Fred in the middle of the park last season following an unconvincing debut campaign at Old Trafford. He found his playtime somewhat limited by the return of Paul Pogba from injury but the 27-year-old remains a key cog in the club’s midfield engine.
The Brazilian star still has plenty of years remaining in his prime, so United can be hopeful of witnessing the best of him in the years to come. Fred has established himself as a key player under Solskjaer after a slow start to life in English football and United need to hold their patience with his progress.
With Nemanja Matic already nearing his twilight at 32 and the likes of Jesse Lingard and Andreas Pereira failing to impress, United certainly need to have Fred in the mix to ensure adequate competition for places in the midfield.
Plus, it would hardly make any sense for United to sell the 27-year-old just two years after paying such a huge ransom for him in the market. That would be a blunder, both from a financial and footballing point of view.
Man United finally seem to have their midfield unit sorted out following the acquisition of Bruno Fernandes, who has had a transformative impact at the club.
The Red Devils now need to make sure that they keep hold of their key squad players to build a strong platform for long-term success. Fred certainly has a big part to play in Solskjaer’s project and United would be wise to resist the temptation to cash in on him.