Reds hope to have Fred deal done by next week
UNITED want to announce the signing of Fred next week as they continue to make progress in talks with his representatives.
The Reds have been finalising a deal for the 25-year-old Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder and a source close to the deal has told M.E.N. Sport ‘most of the loose ends are tied up’.
The M.E.N. revealed last week United expect to complete a move for the Brazil international at the start of June. The preference was to conclude the transfer while Fred was in England with the national squad but a source says an announcement is likelier after Brazil’s World Cup warm-up with Croatia at Anfield on Sunday.
Brazil play Austria in Vienna in their final friendly on June 10 before their World Cup opener against Switzerland on June 16.
Fred’s agent Gilberto Silva flew into London last week to escalate the transfer and United have been negotiating the final numbers of Fred’s terms. The Reds are hopeful of signing Fred for a fee lower than his €60m (£52.5m) release clause, despite Shakhtar indicating they would not accept any less. United could agree a fee rising to £52.5m with achievable add-ons.
Fred is currently training in London with the Brazil squad, who have held their sessions at Tottenham’s Spurs Lodge base in Enfield, just 15 miles away from United’s office in Mayfair. JOSE Mourinho needs to sign a game-changer and a midfield general this summer – according to Gary Neville.
But that is just the start as far as the United legend is concerned.
Mourinho is set to overhaul his squad after finishing trophyless and 19 points adrift of Premier League champions City.
He plans to strengthen in midfield and defence, with Toby Alderweireld and Fred both being targeted.
Neville believes the United manager is still missing that touch of stardust to turn the biggest games – and believes Gareth Bale could provide it.
He adds that Michael Carrick’s retirement leaves a huge hole in midfield, but also wants to see major reinforcements in defence.
Discussing United’s needs in the transfer market, Neville said: “That’s the most difficult question for Jose Mourinho. I would say definitely defenders - you could argue rightback, left-back and centre-back.
“Not necessarily to replace Antonio Valencia, but to challenge him.
“A central midfield player who can dictate the pace of a game and can control the game.
“I think that you look at (Nemanja) Matic, (Ander) Herrera and (Paul) Pogba, they’ve all got differing qualities, but you think about Michael Carrick retiring – somebody who can put his foot on the ball, see those passes through into the strikers, control the tempo the game.
“I think that is something that I’d say is required when I watch United play.
“And you could definitely a winger.”
Bale put United on alert by questioning his future at Real Madrid following his two-goal match-winning display in the of argue Champions League final – and Neville claims United are still missing that type of talent. “I think every top club – and the money that United are spending, City are spending, Chelsea – you want that world-class player who can change a game for you,” he told BBC Radio Manchester. “You look at the top-class teams of the last five or six years – Barcelona, Real Madrid – they’ve all had a world-class player. “The other night Real Madrid had Gareth Bale coming off the bench. Off the bench! “That’s an obscene amount of talent to be able to say you’ve got Ronaldo and Benzema on the pitch and then you’ve got Bale to come off the bench. “That’s why they win the European Cup because they change games. To get those world-class players is where United would need that game-changer.” Gary Neville