Manchester City are ready to play the waiting game in their pursuit of Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Fred. According to recent reports in the English media, the Citizens have accepted that they have to wait until the summer transfer window in their attempts to sign the Brazilian midfield talent. It is believed that the Premier League leaders have given up on the possibility of securing his services before the transfer window closes at the end of this month following intense speculation linking him to make a switch to the Etihad Stadium.
However, it appears that the Ukranian club are reluctant to let him go in this January transfer window as they want to compete in the Champions League with him operating at the centre of the park in Paulo Fonseca’s starting eleven.
It is understood that a reported £50m offer will be enough to prise him away from Donetsk in the summer with the Citizens more than capable of coughing up that kind of a transfer fee. Fred has featured in 24 matches for his club this term and has found the back of the net 2 times while making 4 assists in all competitions. He can operate as a central holding midfielder or in a more attacking role in the number 10 position. The Brazilian has all the makings of a classy midfield talent and at 24, he still has his peak years ahead of him which City would like to utilise in the coming years.
The Citizens of Manchester are currently leading the Premier League table with a tally of 65 points after Gameweek 24. They are firmly in the driver’s seat to secure another league title at the top tier of English football and finds themselves a massive 12 points above their crosstown rivals Manchester United. Pep Guardiola’s side are still competing in four different competitions, having already progressed to the final of the Carabao Cup while also ensuring their names in the fifth round draw of the FA Cup.
The Manchester outfit will face off against FC Basel in the UEFA Champions League knockout stages as well so their pursuit of an unprecedented quadruple is well and truly on the cards.
Fred’s current club Shakhtar Donetsk are among the only two sides to have beaten City this season when they secured a 2-1 home victory at the expense of Guardiola’s men in the Champions League group stages. The possible addition of Fred will definitely bolster the Spanish manager’s midfield in the summer as they are set to lose Yaya Toure’s services at the end of the current campaign. Only time will tell what lies ahead in the future of the Brazilian midfielder and whether City are able to secure his signature in the near future.
