Manchester City are plotting a move for Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Fred next summer. According to recent sources, the Citizens will face strong competition from fellow Premier League rivals Manchester United and Arsenal on the hunt for the Brazilian’s signature. It is believed that Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has identified the Brazilian midfielder as an ideal fit for his squad, going into the next campaign.
The 24-year-old was a star in central midfield for Shakhtar Donetsk in their Champions League triumph over the Manchester club last year. Some reports are claiming that Fred’s eye-catching display on the night caught Guardiola’s attention and preliminary talks about a potential transfer in the near future took place internally between the two clubs since then.
Guardiola is determined to do business early on in the summer to give himself the best possible chance of preparing his squad for the upcoming season. Fred primarily enjoys the role of a defensive midfielder and is responsible to shield the backline but also has a knack for chipping in with goals and could turn out to be an ideal asset for City if they manage to land the player.
The Citizens are all set to part ways with their Ivorian midfielder Yaya Toure at the end of the season which will make some space for a new midfield enforcer who can compete for a first-team place with Fernandinho in Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City squad.
The Spanish boss has a history of doing business with the current Ukrainian champions as evidenced by his signings of Douglas Costa during his spell at Bayern Munich and defender Dmytro Chygrynskiy from his tenure as the Barcelona manager.
Manchester City are currently leading the Premier League by a country mile and has gained a massive 15 point advantage over their neighbors Manchester United at the top of the league table. They can boast a midfield which is brimming with attacking superstars with the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, David Silva, and İlkay Gündoğan currently showcasing their talents at the Etihad Stadium with Fernandinho doing all the dirty work in midfield.
However, Guardiola is aware of the fact that an injury to his Brazilian midfielder could derail their momentum and leave them a little vulnerable in defense. Hence, he has identified Fred as the perfect solution for the impending departure of Yaya Toure, who is currently playing second-fiddle to Fernandinho.
The Brazilian has made 24 appearances for Shakhtar Donetsk this season and has scored 2 goals and made 4 assists so far. It remains to be seen whether the Citizens are successful in their efforts to fend off strong competition from their Premier League rivals in pursuit of the player.
