Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Richard Fay

Fred could confirm his Manchester United legacy with perfect leaving gift

It could be a day of farewells as much as celebration at Wembley this weekend.

Manchester United will be hoping the biggest goodbye is the one waved to Man City's Treble hopes as they look to silence their noisy neighbours and celebrate their own double delight.

Whatever happens, it could be the last time some players wear a United shirt. Erik ten Hag is fortunate in that the majority of his important players are under contract beyond the summer window, but a handful of squad players are less certain.

Read more: United agree personal terms with Mason Mount

One of those is Fred. The Manchester Evening News revealed earlier this week that the 30-year-old has emerged as a possible transfer target for Fulham this summer, and it is understood intermediaries have proposed a possible move for Fred. The Brazilian midfielder was spotted speaking with their manager, Marco Silva, after last weekend's clash at Old Trafford.

Fred has been a divisive figure throughout his time at the club, with some supporters admiring his hard work and commitment to the cause while others have struggled to overlook his lack of technical ability.

He famously refers to himself as the 'piano carrier' and is well aware that he is at his best as a support act, a player whose energy and enterprise can often bring out the best in his teammates.

It is in that role that he could bid United farewell, and in the process, he could end up giving his club the perfect parting gift as they look to get one over Man City when it matters most.

Fred has often been exposed by United's overreliance on him, and as much as his own ability hasn't been good enough, he also epitomised the club's own failure to recruit more reliable midfield options.

That has changed this season following the arrival of both Casemiro and Christian Eriksen, and the former Shakhtar man has started just 22 of the 61 matches played, the fewest since his maiden season in England. Yet he has made the third-most overall appearances in a United shirt this season and is the only outfield player to have been included in every single matchday squad.

Despite his diminished role, he has also played some of his best football in a United shirt. Fred stole the show in the emphatic home win over Tottenham at the start of the season and was the catalyst for wins against both City and Barcelona earlier this year.

Ten Hag affectionately labelled him a 'mosquito' for the way he pestered Frenkie de Jong back in February, effectively irritating the Barcelona midfielder just as he had done to Kevin de Bruyne a month earlier.

Yet despite having a clear role in the team, Fred only lined up in two league games after his starting role in the 7-0 annihilation by Liverpool at Anfield on March 5, a performance so bad he has never recovered from it.

It seems clear that Ten Hag is keen to move on from him this summer, but before he does that, he might need him for one last masterclass to give them the best chance of winning this weekend.

Fred is at his best when the onus isn't on him to attack, and he can focus on the basics of being a combative midfielder who relishes a scrappy midfield battle and winning the ball back.

Those traits could be the most important against City this weekend, with United well aware that the most likely way to win will be by restricting the creativity of their opposition midfield.

It means that Fred could well be United's most important player at Wembley, and if they want to hit the right notes, they will need their piano carrier to do the dirty work.

There won't be many tears if this is his final game, but win this weekend and Fred will be remembered fondly.

READ MORE:

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.