STRONG CENTRE-HALF HIGH ON WISH LIST AFTER ROPING IN FRED
Jose Mourinho will step up his efforts to bring in a centre-half after Manchester United signed Brazil midfielder Fred from Shakhtar Donetsk.
Fred, 25, who is on World Cup duty, has signed a fiveyear contract until June 2023, with an option to extend for a further 12 months.
United agreed a £52-million fee weeks ago but the announcement was delayed while the player waited for a work permit. Fred became the second summer arrival at Old Trafford, following the pounds 19 million arrival of Portugal Under-21 right-back Diogo Dalot from Porto.
Mourinho will now focus on the recruitment of a centreback, with Tottenham’s Toby Alderweireld among the targets. The manager is also waiting for clarification over the future of Belgium midfielder Marouane Fellaini, who is out of contract at the end of this month, as he waits to discover if he will need to recruit an imposing attacking midfielder. ■
Mourinho hopes Fred will bring dynamism to the midfield and help liberate Paul Pogba as he bids to close the huge gap on champions Manchester City, who pursued the Brazilian before switching their sights to Napoli’s Jorginho.
“Fred will complement our other midfielders’ qualities, which we need; his creative brain and passing vision will give another dimension to our game,” Mourinho said.
“I am very happy he is joining our club and I believe our players know how important he can be in our team.”
Midfield conductor
Fred, who describes himself as a midfield “conductor”, marked his arrival by saying: “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.”
Willian and Gabriel Jesus welcomed Fred after he became the latest Brazilian to move to the Premier League.